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Giants-Reds Preview

Aug 20, 2009 - 5:43 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

San Francisco (65-54) at Cincinnati (50-68), 12:35 p.m. EDT

Matt Cain is making a bid to become the second consecutive San Francisco Giants starter to win the NL Cy Young Award, while Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aaron Harang appears to be in danger of repeating as the major league leader in losses.

Those facts didn't stop Harang and the Reds from handing Cain and the Giants a defeat earlier this month.

Cain looks to snap a season-high four-start winless streak and help the Giants' position in the wild-card race as he squares off against Harang and the Reds for the second time in 12 days Thursday in Cincinnati.

Cain (12-4, 2.49 ERA) is one of the primary reasons San Francisco (66-54) is one game behind Colorado for the wild-card spot. He's near the top of the NL in wins, ERA and opponent batting average (.225), teaming with reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum to keep the Giants in the playoff hunt.

Harang (6-14, 4.35) hasn't had the same success. The two-time 16-game winner has lost 10 of his last 11 decisions to take over the major league lead in losses. He tied with two other players for the most losses in baseball with 17 in 2008.

Harang's lone victory during his extended slump came July 9 at Cain's expense. The right-hander held San Francisco to two runs in seven innings of the 5-2 victory, improving to 4-6 with a 3.86 ERA in 11 career starts against the Giants.

Cain gave up all five Cincinnati runs over seven innings in his third straight loss to the Reds (50-69). He's 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA lifetime against them.

Cain followed that performance by giving up three runs in 7 1-3 innings of San Francisco's 5-4, 10-inning win over the New York Mets on Saturday.

Harang held Washington to two runs in seven innings Friday, but didn't get any help from his offense in the 2-0 defeat. It was the seventh time this season he received no run support.

"It's got to be frustrating for him," manager Dusty Baker said. "I know it's frustrating for us."

In their rematch, Cain and Harang will both be looking to follow up strong pitching performances. San Francisco's Barry Zito outdueled Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo on Wednesday night, when Nate Schierholtz's RBI double in the eighth inning carried the Giants to a 1-0 win.

Zito left after six innings but didn't mind not getting the decision.

"These games are like playoff games, in a sense, where it's not about individual achievement anymore," he told the Giants' official Web site. "We're in a race. It's about the team getting a win every day, no matter how it happens."

Cincinnati was held to two hits while wasting Arroyo's outing and suffering its fifth straight defeat. The Reds have been shut out twice during that skid.

"We've had a tough time scoring runs," Arroyo said. "... Losing is old, whatever way you get there."

Turning things around at the plate won't be easy if Joey Votto can't play. The first baseman, batting .316, left Wednesday's game after the top of the first inning because of blurred vision. Votto, tied for the team lead with 18 homers and second with 59 RBIs, is day-to-day.

Giants first baseman Pablo Sandoval didn't play Wednesday because manager Bruce Bochy thought he could use a day off for the first time since July 5. Sandoval, batting .327 and leading San Francisco with 18 homers and 70 RBIs, expects to play Thursday.