(Sports Network) -- Strong pitching has helped propel the San Francisco Giants
into first place in the National League West. With Tim Lincecum appearing to
get his act back together as well, the team could be even tougher to beat down
the stretch.
Lincecum will attempt to continue his excellent work since the All-Star break
and lead the Giants to a series sweep of the San Diego Padres when the
division rivals conclude a three-game set this afternoon at Candlestick Park.
The season's first half was an absolute nightmare for Lincecum, the 2008 and
2009 NL Cy Young Award recipient and four-time All-Star who entered the break
with an ugly 3-10 record and 6.42 earned average after being shelled for 14
runs and 16 hits in just 6 2/3 innings in back-to-back road losses to
Washington and Pittsburgh to begin July.
He's been back in top form since, however, firing eight shutout innings and
striking out a season-best 11 batters in a no-decision against Houston on July
14 and following up with seven sharp frames to beat Philadelphia six days
later. Lincecum held the Phillies to two runs and five hits that night to
notch only his second victory since April.
The slightly built righty also has a history of success against San Diego,
having compiled a 10-4 record with an outstanding 2.03 ERA in 20 career
starts. Lincecum bested the Padres by yielding only one unearned run and three
hits through eight innings in an April 28 outing at AT&T Park, where the
Giants have now won six in a row following Tuesday's 3-2 decision over the
Friars.
With the teams deadlocked at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning,
Brandon Belt drew a leadoff walk off Padres reliever Joe Thatcher and Angel
Pagan followed with a single before both runners advanced on a passed ball by
catcher Yasmani Grandal. Brandon Crawford then delivered a base hit up the
middle to plate Belt and give San Francisco its ninth triumph in its last 11
contests.
"It feels good, obviously," Crawford said afterward. "I've been coming through
lately in clutch situations and getting RBI's, and to do it at home and in the
bottom of the ninth is even better."
Pagan contributed on the defensive end as well, coming up with a diving catch
on a line drive off the bat of Carlos Quentin with one out and Chase Headley
on first. The center fielder then threw to first to double off Headley and
keep the score tied.
"A fabulous catch by Pagan, no doubt about it saved the game," admitted Padres
manager Bud Black. "One of the best games I've seen in a long, long time."
The win extended San Francisco's lead over second-place Los Angeles in the NL
West to 2 1/2 games after the Dodgers lost to St. Louis on Tuesday, and
improved the Giants to a sensational 31-16 at home this season.
On a down note, San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval was forced to exit
Tuesday's tilt in the third inning after straining his left hamstring, an
injury that could land the 2012 All-Star on the disabled list.
"It's really a bad break," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "He's been locked
in at the plate and it's a really tough loss."
The Padres, who have now lost in 10 of their last 12 visits to AT&T Park, will
try to avoid the sweep behind Jason Marquis this afternoon. The journeyman
righty hasn't been bad since joining the team in June, amassing a 3-5 record
and a 3.79 ERA in nine appearances, and comes in off back-to-back winning
performances.
Marquis started his streak by tossing six innings of two-run ball to down the
Dodgers on July 15, then benefited from ample run support in last Friday's
assignment against Colorado. The veteran was touched for five runs (3 earned)
and nine hits over five innings in that one, but still wound up on the good
end of a 9-5 decision.
The 33-year-old has faced San Francisco once previously this year, allowing
four runs (2 earned) and nine hits over six innings in an 8-3 Padres' loss at
Petco Park on June 7. For his career, Marquis is 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 14
games (13 starts) against the Giants.
The Giants took two of three bouts from the Padres in a series held in San
Francisco in late April and are 6-2 against San Diego this season.
The Sports Network