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Cubs-Giants Preview

Aug 11, 2010 - 6:39 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (48-65) at San Francisco (64-50), 10:15 p.m. EDT

His record over the last month might not show it, but Barry Zito has pitched well since the All-Star break for the San Francisco Giants.

The left-hander hopes that continues while trying to improve on past performances against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.

Though Zito (8-6, 3.35 ERA) is 1-2 in five starts since the break, he's posted a 2.02 ERA during that span. His teammates have provided little support, scoring nine runs in those five outings. Zito allowed two runs and four hits while striking out 10 in seven innings of a 3-2, 11-inning win at Atlanta on Friday.

"He doesn't have the stuff that he used to have with his velocity and the bite of his curveball, but he mixes his pitches unbelievably," Braves outfielder Matt Diaz told the Giants' official website.

Zito, however, is 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts versus Chicago. Two of those losses came while compiling a 5.29 ERA and no victories in three starts at San Francisco.

While the Cubs (48-65) are in the midst of a disappointing season, they have won eight of 13 at San Francisco after evening this four-game set with an 8-6 victory Tuesday night.

The win was Chicago's second in 13 games overall and snapped a season-high six-game road skid, while San Francisco (64-50) lost for the first time in five home contests. The defeat dropped the Giants into a tie with Cincinnati atop the wild-card standings, and 2 1/2 games behind San Diego in the NL West.

Aramis Ramirez had three hits and Starlin Castro drove in three runs Tuesday for the Cubs, who scored two fewer runs than they totaled while losing the previous four games.

"It's been a tough stretch of late," acting manager Alan Trammell told the Cubs' official website. "You've got to keep fighting this thing and if you have fight, you have a chance."

Trammell continues to manage the team while Lou Piniella remains in Tampa, Fla., with his ailing mother.

A candidate for NL rookie of the year, Castro is 4 for 11 in the series and batting .365 with 11 RBIs in his last 19 games.

Another candidate for the same award is San Francisco's Buster Posey, who went 3 for 5 with four RBIs on Tuesday. The catcher is batting .345 in 63 games since being recalled from the minors May 29.

Posey and the Giants hope to get the best of Chicago's Tom Gorzelanny (6-6, 3.51), who looks to remain perfect against San Francisco on Wednesday.

Gorzelanny is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA against the Giants. He allowed one run in five innings to outpitch Zito in Chicago's 6-2 win at San Francisco on Sept. 26.

The left-hander, who allowed three runs and four walks in seven innings of a 3-0 loss to Cincinnati on Friday, is 4-1 with a 3.64 ERA in seven starts since rejoining the rotation.

"I'm just trying to focus on what I'm doing the rest of the year here, trying to put together a good season and trying to do my part to help us win games," Gorzelanny said.

Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria left Tuesday's game with a strained left bicep and will undergo an MRI.