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Giants-Brewers Preview

Sep 5, 2009 - 5:42 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

San Francisco (73-61) at Milwaukee (65-68), 4:10 p.m. EDT

Matt Cain may be accustomed to being the victim of little run support, but with the San Francisco Giants in the thick of the playoff hunt, the offense needs to start helping its All-Star.

Cain, who hasn't won in six weeks, again hopes for better run support Saturday when the Giants play the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Cain (12-4, 2.50 ERA) amassed 30 losses from 2007-08, tied with teammate Barry Zito for the most in the majors during that stretch, but those defeats were not entirely his fault. During those two seasons, San Francisco (74-61) backed Cain with an average of 3.32 runs of support - worst in baseball.

This year started much better for Cain, who was 9-1 with a 2.39 ERA after 13 starts while receiving an average of 6.23 runs from his offense, but he has seen a decline in support ever since.

In his last 14 starts, Cain is 3-3 with a 2.61 ERA while being backed by an average of 2.61 runs. He has not won since defeating Colorado on July 24, going 0-2 despite a 3.10 ERA in his last seven starts as the offense has given him more than two runs to work with only twice.

Cain, who went a career-worst eight straight starts without a victory in 2007 and matched that drought Aug. 20-Sept. 27, 2008, received two runs of support against Colorado on Sunday before the Giants rallied to win 9-5. The right-hander allowed four runs and eight hits with eight strikeouts in six innings.

San Francisco didn't do much offensively Friday, but still managed to beat the Brewers 3-2 to remain one game back of Colorado for the wild card. The Giants were limited to four hits but benefited from three errors by Milwaukee (65-69), which lost for the third time in four games.

Bengie Molina, who has been slowed by a quadriceps injury, homered on the first pitch of the eighth to lead the Giants to their fourth victory in 18 games in Milwaukee.

Zito got the start and lasted four innings. He and six relievers combined to walk 10, the most allowed by San Francisco in a nine-inning game this year.

"Any time you walk 10 guys and get away with it, you consider yourself fortunate," manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Brewers had several scoring opportunities, but left 12 runners on base to match a season high.

Prince Fielder drove in his major league-leading 121st RBI on a fielder's choice in the first inning, but is batting .143 with one double and three RBIs in his last six games.

Yovani Gallardo (12-10, 3.56) takes the ball for the Brewers looking to continue his recent run of success in Milwaukee.

The right-hander has been at his best at Miller Park, going 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 25 1-3 innings in his last four starts there. He got the better of the Cain and Giants in Milwaukee on June 26, giving up one run and four hits with nine strikeouts in 7 2-3 innings of a 5-1 victory.

Cain yielded five runs, six hits and four walks with nine strikeouts over seven innings in that contest. He's 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in two career starts at Miller Park.

Gallardo allowed three runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in five innings of last Saturday's 7-3 home win over Pittsburgh. He didn't get a decision.