Final
Reds-Giants Preview
Aug 6, 2009 - 5:48 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS WriterCincinnati (46-61) at San Francisco (60-48), 10:15 p.m. EDT
Given that Tim Lincecum could be on track for his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award, the Cincinnati Reds are lucky they've gone this long without facing the budding superstar.
They probably aren't as fortunate that they'll get their first look at the right-hander during what has perhaps been the most dominating stretch of his career.
Lincecum will try to continue that run as the red-hot Giants open a six-game homestand Friday against the reeling Reds, losers of eight straight on the road.
Every other NL team is familiar with Lincecum (12-3, 2.18 ERA), and the 25-year-old ace has beaten all of them except the New York Mets. He can become the league's first 13-game winner Friday.
After being named the NL's best pitcher last year, he has put up even better numbers this season, ranking second in the majors in ERA and needing nine strikeouts to become the first to reach 200.
He struck out at least eight in each of his last 10 starts, going 7-2 with a 1.39 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 77 2-3 innings over that span. He tossed eight innings in a 2-0 win over Philadelphia on Saturday.
"Whatever he seems to do doesn't baffle us - he never ceases to amaze," Giants closer Brian Wilson said.
Lincecum's dominance has helped San Francisco (60-48) return to contention after four straight losing seasons. The Giants have won eight of 10 to improve their position in a tight wild card race with Colorado.
Lately, they've also been boosted by a resurgent offense, sparked by the arrival of Freddy Sanchez. The infielder is 7 for 18 (.389) with a home run, three RBIs and four runs since coming to San Francisco in a trade with Pittsburgh last week.
Sanchez went 3 for 5 in a 10-6 win at Houston on Wednesday, while Pablo Sandoval was 3 for 4 with two RBIs to give him eight hits in 12 at-bats in the three-game series.
The Giants finished a 6-1 homestand last week by taking three of four from Philadelphia. That moved the club to 37-16 at AT&T Park - the best home record in the majors.
That seems to make for a lopsided matchup with the Reds, who'll be trying to avoid their first nine-game road skid since 2004. Cincinnati hasn't won in California this year, getting swept in three-game series at San Diego and Los Angeles.
The Reds (46-61) haven't played well anywhere lately, losing 14 of 16 overall. They dropped eight straight - all at home - before beating the Chicago Cubs 4-0 on Wednesday.
"Everyone cheer up," owner Bob Castellini said. "It's almost like winning the World Series."
Homer Bailey (2-3, 7.06) draws the tough assignment of opposing Lincecum on Friday. The right-hander struggled through 5 1-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Colorado on Saturday, giving up five runs, but pitched well in his previous visit to San Francisco. He allowed one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-2 win Sept. 20, 2007.
Cincinnati won its final five games against the Giants last year, scoring 47 runs. In a three-game series at San Francisco from April 25-27, 2008, second baseman Brandon Phillips went 6 for 12 with three home runs and seven RBIs.
- ** CONFIRMED **
NL
CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 5 FINAL
Aug 8 1:46 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY LAYNCE NIX SCORED SCOTT ROLEN
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, W BALENTIEN ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: R HANIGAN (.299, 0-FOR-4)
Reds 10, Giants 5 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 8 1:24 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY BRANDON MEDDERS ALLOWED BRANDON PHILLIPS TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, W BALENTIEN ON SECOND, S ROLEN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 9
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: L NIX (.235, 1-FOR-1, 2 RBI)
Reds 9, Giants 5 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 8 1:23 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY PABLO SANDOVAL ALLOWED JOEY VOTTO TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, W BALENTIEN ON FIRST, S ROLEN ON SECOND, B
PHILLIPS ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 8
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: L NIX (.235, 1-FOR-1, 2 RBI)
Reds 8, Giants 5 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 8 1:22 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY BENGIE MOLINA ALLOWED ALEX GONZALEZ TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, S ROLEN ON FIRST, B PHILLIPS ON SECOND, J
VOTTO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 7
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: W BALENTIEN (.308, 2-FOR-2, 2 BB, RBI)
Reds 7, Giants 5 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 8 1:21 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
BASES LOADED WALK TO BRANDON PHILLIPS SCORED DREW SUTTON
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B PHILLIPS ON FIRST, J VOTTO ON SECOND, A
GONZALEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 6
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S ROLEN (.154, 1-FOR-4)
Reds 6, Giants 5 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 8 1:16 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY LAYNCE NIX SCORED BRANDON PHILLIPS AND JOEY VOTTO
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, L NIX ON FIRST, W BALENTIEN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 5
SAN FRANCISCO 5 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: R HANIGAN (.301, 0-FOR-3)
Reds 5, Giants 5 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 8 12:54 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY PABLO SANDOVAL SCORED EUGENIO VELEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, P SANDOVAL ON FIRST, F SANCHEZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 3
SAN FRANCISCO 5 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: B MOLINA (.263, 1-FOR-3, HR, 2 RBI)
Reds 3, Giants 5 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 8 12:31 AM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
FORCE OUT BY JONNY GOMES SCORED SCOTT ROLEN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J GOMES ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 3
SAN FRANCISCO 4 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: R HANIGAN (.303, 0-FOR-2)
Reds 3, Giants 4 Top 6, 0 OutsAug 7 11:53 PM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY EUGENIO VELEZ (2) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 5TH OFF HOMER BAILEY SCORED TIM LINCECUM.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 2, SAN FRANCISCO 4
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: F SANCHEZ (.299, 0-FOR-2)
Reds 2, Giants 4 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 7 11:38 PM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ALEX GONZALEZ SCORED WILLY TAVERAS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A GONZALEZ ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 2
SAN FRANCISCO 2 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J VOTTO (.326, 0-FOR-2)
Reds 2, Giants 2 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 7 11:27 PM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY WLADIMIR BALENTIEN SCORED ALEX GONZALEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, W BALENTIEN ON FIRST, B PHILLIPS ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 1
SAN FRANCISCO 2 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J GOMES (.265, 0-FOR-1)
Reds 1, Giants 2 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 7 11:10 PM - NL
AT SAN FRANCISCO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY BENGIE MOLINA (12) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2
OUT IN THE 1ST OFF HOMER BAILEY SCORED PABLO SANDOVAL.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 0, SAN FRANCISCO 2
DUE UP FOR SAN FRANCISCO: R WINN (.267, 2 HR, 42 RBI)
Reds 0, Giants 2 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 7 10:31 PM
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