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Giants-Diamondbacks Preview

Sep 22, 2009 - 6:35 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Francisco (80-69) at Arizona (65-85), 9:40 p.m. EDT

The San Francisco Giants don't care how they do it, they just need to win games.

Still in contention in the NL wild-card race, the visiting Giants look for a second straight victory as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

After dropping the final two games to lose a three-game set at NL West-leading Los Angeles over the weekend, San Francisco (81-69) won 5-4 at Arizona in Monday's series opener.

The result moved the Giants within four games of wild-card leader Colorado, which was idle Monday, with 12 to play.

"Obviously, every game is a must-win," said center fielder Aaron Rowand, who had an RBI. "We'll take any bit we can. We have to keep pushing on."

Pablo Sandoval had two hits, including his NL-leading 43rd double for the Giants, who took advantage of three Arizona errors and the scored the go-ahead run when Fred Lewis beat out a potential double-play grounder with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to improve to 9-4 against last-place Arizona (65-86).

"That's us," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We scratch and claw for lots of runs."

Sandoval is batting .344 in his last eight games, and .463 with six RBIs against the Diamondbacks this season.

The Giants, however, could be without second baseman Freddy Sanchez after he left Monday's contest with a twisted left knee. Sanchez, who came off the disabled from a shoulder strain on Sept. 7, is batting .284 in 25 games since being traded to San Francisco from Pittsburgh.

After Barry Zito scuffled a bit Monday, San Francisco hopes for a strong performance from Matt Cain (13-6, 2.71 ERA), who'll try a third time to set a career high for wins.

For the second straight start, Cain allowed four runs in six innings, this time in a 4-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 3.53 ERA in his last 10 starts.

"For me it was frustrating putting our guys in a hole," said Cain, who's 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 13 starts against Arizona, including 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in three this season.

Mark Reynolds is 2 for 12 against Cain, but both hits were home runs. The Arizona third baseman hit his 43rd on Monday as the Diamondbacks dropped their third straight contest.

Reynolds, who's homered in two straight games against the Giants, did not strike out Monday, leaving him one shy of the major league record of 204 he had last year.

Having already set a career high for losses, Doug Davis (7-13, 4.01), takes the ball for the Diamondbacks after he gave up three runs and walked five in six innings of a 6-5, 10-inning loss at San Diego on Wednesday.

The left-hander is 0-3 with a 5.45 ERA in his last seven starts since beating the New York Mets on Aug. 10.

Davis is 4-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 17 starts against San Francisco, and 1-2 with a 4.21 ERA in four this year.