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Pirates-Giants Preview

Jul 27, 2009 - 2:23 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (43-54) at San Francisco (52-45), 10:15 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't scored in two games, adding another chapter of futility to one of the majors' weakest offenses.

Facing the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner isn't likely to give Pittsburgh's reeling offense any relief.

Tim Lincecum hopes to give his slumping San Francisco Giants a much-needed boost Monday night against the Pirates, whom he'll try to shut down for the second time in 11 days as the teams open a three-game set at AT&T Park.

The Giants (52-46) held a two-game lead in the NL wild card race at the All-Star break, but a 3-7 road trip to open the second half has turned that advantage into a two-game deficit.

San Francisco scored three runs or fewer eight times in those 10 games while hitting .218. The Giants were held to two runs for a second straight game Sunday in a 4-2 loss to Colorado, which seized the wild card lead by taking two of three.

"We just have to get this offense going," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Pirates (43-55) can certainly relate, particularly after back-to-back shutouts in Arizona over the weekend increased their total to a major league-high 11. They've been shut out five times in July, and with Lincecum (10-3, 2.45 ERA) heading to the mound, being blanked in three straight for the first time since Aug. 28-30, 1968, doesn't seem like much of a stretch.

Pittsburgh didn't score in its final 19 innings against the Diamondbacks, mustering five hits in a 9-0 loss Sunday. The Pirates are hitting .242 on the road, 39 points lower than their average at PNC Park.

"As bad as we are pressing and not doing well, you have to give credit to those guys, too," said second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who was 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts in the series.

These teams combined for only 12 runs as Pittsburgh took two of three from the visiting Giants to open the second half from July 17-19. The series began with a duel between Lincecum and Paul Maholm (6-4, 4.63), who will square off again Monday.

Lincecum's lone mistake came on a first-inning homer by Garrett Jones, who later gave the Pirates a 2-1 victory with a walk-off shot in the 14th. The NL's All-Star starter allowed five hits over seven innings, striking out 10.

"We couldn't do much against him," said Jones, who leads the NL with 10 homers in July. "He throws, what (35) pitches in the All-Star game and comes here and throws 118? He has an unbelievable arm. He's going to be an amazing pitcher for years to come."

Lincecum wasn't nearly as good his last time out, giving up four runs and seven hits over five innings Wednesday in a 4-2 loss at Atlanta.

"I probably was just rushing," Lincecum told the Giants' official Web site. "I usually take time to get my rhythm. I was kind of fighting it to get my pitches down."

Maholm matched Lincecum on July 17, striking out seven while allowing an unearned run and four hits over eight innings, but he struggled Wednesday against Milwaukee. The left-hander gave up seven runs - including his fifth and sixth homers of the season - in 4 2-3 innings but the Pirates came back to win 8-7.

Maholm, who is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in five starts against the Giants, is 3-3 with a 5.77 ERA on the road this season.