Giants at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds will attempt to complete a sweep of their four-game set against the visiting San Francisco Giants when the teams meet in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Cincinnati battered San Francisco in the rain-shortened opener on Monday before Homer Bailey threw his second career no-hitter the following night. The Reds won in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, as Shin-Soo Choo delivered a two-out walk-off single in the 11th inning to give the club its fourth win in five contests.
San Francisco fell to 1-8 on its 10-game road trip and has lost 11 of its last 13 overall contests. The Giants have struggled offensively during their trek, scoring a total of 18 runs over the first nine games while allowing 35. The reigning World Series champions have registered only seven hits over the first three contests against the Reds.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Matt Cain (5-4, 4.29 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (7-3, 2.52)
Cain deserved much better than a no-decision at Colorado on Saturday, when he allowed one run and three hits in eight innings while retiring the final 20 batters he faced. The 28-year-old has posted just one victory in his last six starts despite yielding three runs or fewer five times in that span. Cain is 4-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 10 career outings against the Reds.
Leake has been superb over his last nine starts, going 5-1 while allowing fewer than three earned runs eight times. The 25-year-old settled for a no-decision at Texas on Saturday after giving up four runs - one earned - and three hits over seven innings. Leake has yet to lose in five contests (four starts) against San Francisco, posting a 3-0 record while tossing one of his two career complete games.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco has scored fewer than three runs in 10 of its last 13 games.
2. Cincinnati's Chris Heisey returned to left field for the first time since April 27 due to a hamstring injury. He had a solo home run and a sacrifice fly.
3. Giants 2B Marco Scutaro sat out Wednesday's contest with tightness in his back.
PREDICTION: Reds 5, Giants 2