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Marlins-Giants Preview

Jul 28, 2010 - 6:11 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Florida (50-49) at San Francisco (56-44), 7:05 p.m. EDT

While San Francisco's pitching remains among the best in the majors, the club's surprisingly potent lineup has been perhaps the bigger reason the Giants are in hot pursuit of the NL West lead.

Rookie catcher Buster Posey looks to extend his 20-game hitting streak as surging San Francisco tries to keep slugging Wednesday afternoon against the visiting Florida Marlins.

The Giants (57-44) rank third in the majors with a 3.39 ERA, and Matt Cain turned in seven strong innings Tuesday night against the Marlins.

But eighth-inning home runs by Juan Uribe and Edgar Renteria broke a tie and propelled San Francisco to a 6-4 victory. Before that, the Giants became the only team to score at least three runs off MLB ERA leader Josh Johnson in his last 14 starts.

San Francisco ranked 26th in the majors in runs last year, but the club's 131 runs in July trail only Minnesota, and the Giants have won 16 of 20 to pull within 2 1/2 games of first-place San Diego.

"That's why I signed last year because I knew they had a lot of young guys and a lot of talent," Renteria said. "Last year it didn't work but this year we have a chance to do it, so we're not going to be sleeping. We're going to be ready."

The 23-year-old Posey, who went 1 for 4 with an RBI on Tuesday, has been one of the Giants' biggest contributors, batting .450 with 23 RBIs during the majors' longest active hitting streak.

"We're all into it now," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Since he's come up here he's been a shot in the arm for us. This won't be his only streak. This guy can hit."

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval also hopes to boost San Francisco in his return to the lineup. Sandoval, who's hitting .263 after a 1-for-16 slump, has missed three games while attending to a personal matter in his native Venezuela.

The Giants will take their swings against Florida rookie Alex Sanabia (1-1, 2.11 ERA), who has frequently worked out of jams in his first three major league starts.

The right-hander is still trying to complete six innings for the first time. He needed 92 pitches to get through 4 1-3 innings Friday against Atlanta, allowing seven hits and three walks but only one run in the Marlins' 7-6 win.

San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez (7-6, 3.35) is coming off a similarly inefficient outing. The left-hander gave up four hits and five walks in five innings Friday at Arizona, but struck out 10 and held the Diamondbacks to one run in the Giants' 7-4 victory.

Sanchez couldn't escape trouble in his lone start against the Marlins, allowing five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-4 loss June 6, 2009.

Florida (50-50) had won eight of 10 before Tuesday's defeat, which featured two homers from second baseman Dan Uggla. The subject of trade rumors approaching Saturday's deadline, Uggla has five homers in his last five games and 142 total for the Marlins - one shy of Mike Lowell's franchise record.

Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez hasn't been as hot for Florida, going 0 for 8 in the first two games of this four-game series. He's batting .228 with no homers and two RBIs in his last 20 contests.