Giants vs. Marlins Preview
FLORIDA (AP) – The San Francisco Giants certainly can’t count on their flailing lineup these days, so they’ll likely have to rely on their fantastic pitching staff to stay in the NL West race.
There’s no one they’d rather lean on than Tim Lincecum.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has regained his dominant form after a midseason rough patch, and he’ll look to lower the NL’s stingiest ERA since the All-Star break Saturday night as the visiting Giants meet the Florida Marlins.
San Francisco (64-55) had a three-game lead when it traded for Carlos Beltran last month, but Beltran hasn’t provided any sort of offensive boost – and he’s spent the past four games on the bench with a strained right hand.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers have made the Giants -160 money line favorites for Saturday’s game against the Marlins. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 67% of more than 395 bets for this game have been placed on the Giants -160.
A trip to the disabled list is a distinct possibility, which would further deplete a lineup that’s averaged just 2.3 runs since his arrival. With Beltran again on the bench in Friday’s opener at Sun Life Stadium, Pablo Sandoval’s first-inning homer – the Giants’ major league record-setting 20th straight solo shot – was all the scoring they could produce in a 2-1 loss.
Combined with Arizona’s win over the Mets, San Francisco fell two games out of first.
“We’ve said quite a few times during the stretch that we’re better than this,” said manager Bruce Bochy, whose club has lost 11 of 14. “But we have to show it.”
Lincecum (10-9, 2.69 ERA) has definitely shown to be a far better pitcher than the one who posted a 5.35 ERA during six uncharacteristically shaky starts from May 16-June 11.
Nine of his last 10 outings have been quality starts, and the past six have been superb. He lowered his NL-best ERA since the break to 1.34 on Sunday, holding Philadelphia to a run over 7 2-3 innings and salvaging the series finale with a 3-1 victory.
“My key to success is always trying to be aggressive,” Lincecum told the Giants’ official website. “When I throw a lot of strikes and get guys to chase, that’s when I’m at my best. I think that’s the reason why I’ve done well.”
Lincecum has only faced the Marlins (56-62) twice – his fewest starts against any NL club – but he’s pitched seven innings in each, going 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA. He struck out 13 in his last stop in South Florida, a 9-6 win in 12 innings May 4, 2010.
Lincecum has led the NL in strikeouts in each of the past three seasons, but Saturday he’ll face the current active leader in that category.
The days of Javier Vazquez (7-9, 4.72) being a strikeout machine are gone – he has 2,468 in his career – but the right-hander has pitched quite effectively over the past six weeks.
He lowered his ERA since June 21 to 2.06 on Sunday against St. Louis, but two errors hurt his cause. Vazquez gave up only three hits over six innings but was charged with four runs – one earned – and did not get a decision in an 8-4 loss.
“Vazquez has come along real good,” manager Jack McKeon told the Marlins’ official website. “He’s probably been our most consistent guy. He’s gotten to the point where he’s using his fastball. He’s making them hit the ball. He’s got better command than he had in the beginning of the season.”
Vazquez has only faced the Giants once since 2005, when he gave up five runs over 5 2-3 innings May 25, 2009, while with Atlanta. He’s 5-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 career starts versus San Francisco.
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