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Giants-Marlins Preview

Jun 5, 2009 - 5:40 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

San Francisco (25-25) at Florida (25-29), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Randy Johnson becoming the 24th pitcher in major league history to win 300 games was the highlight of Thursday for the San Francisco Giants. Sweeping a doubleheader was a welcome bonus.

The Giants look to ride the emotion from a momentous day and get their eighth win in 10 games Friday night when they open a four-game series against the Florida Marlins in Miami.

Rain pushed Johnson's first bid for his 300th win back a day, and the five-time Cy Young Award winner didn't want to wait any longer to become the sixth left-hander to reach the milestone. He gave up one unearned run and two hits in six innings of San Francisco's 5-1 win at Washington on Thursday.

The Giants (27-25) carried the emotion from that game into the nightcap, in which all nine San Francisco players hit safely en route to a 4-1 rain-shortened victory.

"To get the 300th win for R.J. is huge," said pitcher Matt Cain, who pitched a five-inning complete game to finish the sweep of the doubleheader. "It was my intention to keep the momentum going for us."

The Giants have done a good job keeping momentum on their side lately, winning seven of nine after dropping nine of their previous 11.

The Marlins (26-29) have put together a hot streak of their own with seven wins in their last 11 games. Josh Johnson carried them to a 4-3 win over Milwaukee on Thursday by pitching 7 2-3 strong innings and hitting a tiebreaking three-run shot in the fourth inning, the first home run of his career.

"We got the win," Johnson told the Marlins' official Web site. "It was huge for us today."

Giants pitcher Barry Zito (1-6, 4.02 ERA) may need to help his own cause Friday when he takes the mound hoping to snap a four-start losing streak. The left-hander has delivered two quality starts during that skid, but he's gotten a total of six runs of support over 27 1-3 innings.

Zito is last in the majors with a run support average of 2.15.

"If I keep scrapping ... being aggressive, being in command, that's what it's all about," Zito said after giving up three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.

"When you persevere with your approach, when you trust your approach, the game will end up in your favor in the long run. It's not happening that way this year, but I can't worry about the record. I have to stay focused."

Zito is 2-0 with a 3.63 ERA in three career starts against the Marlins, all Giants victories.

Florida starter Chris Volstad (4-4, 3.71) was also the victim of poor run support his last time out. The right-hander held the New York Mets to three runs in seven innings of a 3-2 defeat Sunday. He's never faced the Giants.