Padres at Giants
Two National League West rivals who are streaking in opposite directions square off Friday, when the San Francisco Giants host the San Diego Padres for the second contest of their four-game series. After losing the opener of its 10-game homestand, San Francisco has posted three straight victories - including a 3-0 triumph in the first game of the set on Thursday.
Madison Bumgarner was a one-man show in the series opener, scattering three hits and registering eight strikeouts over eight innings while helping his own cause with a sacrifice fly in the fifth that plated the only run he needed. Buster Posey has gone 4-for-11 with a homer and two RBIs in three games on the homestand after delivering a run-scoring single in the eighth and scoring later in the frame on Thursday. San Diego managed only four hits as it kicked off its seven-game road trip with its fifth consecutive loss. Wil Myers returned from a stint on the disabled list due to an oblique injury and went 0-for 3, but Manuel Margot posted his second straight two-hit performance with a pair of doubles for the Padres, who have scored a total of seven runs during their slide.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (6-6, 4.31 ERA) vs. Giants RH Chris Stratton (8-4, 4.22)
Richard is unbeaten this month, winning all three of his starts while posting a 2.70 ERA and limiting opponents to a .187 batting average. The 34-year-old native of Indiana has worked at least six innings in eight straight turns since lasting a season-low four in a loss at San Francisco on May 2. Richard surrendered seven runs on eight hits and four walks in that outing to fall to 6-8 with a 4.58 ERA in 22 career appearances (19 starts) against the Giants.
Stratton is coming off his fifth win in six decisions, a road triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday in which he gave up one unearned run and three hits over six innings. The 27-year-old from Mississippi is 4-1 in seven turns at home this season despite posting a 5.45 ERA and a .316 batting average against. Stratton improved to 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Padres when he allowed just one hit with three walks in seven scoreless frames at San Diego on April 12.
WALK-OFFS
1. In addition to Myers, the Padres activated RHPs Phil Maton (lat) and Colin Rea (elbow/lat) from the DL, optioned Rea and OF Franmil Reyes to Triple-A El Paso, placed RHP Phil Hughes (rhomboid) on the 10-day DL and transferred OF Franchy Cordero (forearm) from the 10- to the 60-day DL.
2. San Francisco SS Brandon Crawford was activated from the paternity list and went 0-for-4 in the series opener while 2B Kelby Tomlinson was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
3. The teams combined to go 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the series opener.