• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Giants hand Bumgarner ball vs. Padres

Jul 6, 2011 - 3:02 PM (Sports Network) - AT&T Park may be the home of the defending World Series champions, but it has not housed many offensive showcases by the Giants this season.

The way Madison Bumgarner has pitched over his past two starts, it might not have to be tonight.

Bumgarner aims for his first career victory over the Padres and San Francisco hopes to snap a three-game slide in the third of four straight games versus San Diego by the Bay.

While the Giants are nine games over .500 (24-15) at home, they have yet to score more than six runs in a game at AT&T Park this season. That 39-game run is the longest single-season record in club history, one San Francisco would love to snap tonight.

The Giants looked to be on their way to doing so on Tuesday, plating three runs over the first four innings, but starter Matt Cain struggled late and the Padres rallied for a 5-3 victory thanks to a trio of runs in the sixth frame.

Cameron Maybin ended with three hits and three RBI, connecting on a go-ahead two-run triple in the pivotal frame. Anthony Rizzo drove in two runs and Heath Bell posted his 26th save of the season despite giving up two runs to start the ninth inning.

"We got timely hitting," said starter Tim Stauffer following his solid six- inning outing. "Luckily we had that big inning and were able to keep them out of the big inning."

San Diego has won seven of its last nine games and its 11th victory in its past 13 games at San Francisco has the club eight games back of the division leaders in the National League West.

The Padres have also won 15 of their previous 22 overall against the Giants after getting to Cain for five runs over seven innings of work in his first loss since May 29. San Francisco did back its starter with 11 hits, but none of them went for extra bases.

That halted Pablo Sandoval's run of nine straight games with an extra-base hit, though he did extend his overall hitting streak to 16 straight games in San Francisco's fifth loss in seven games.

The Giants now lead the Diamondbacks by just one game for the top spot in the division.

"Tomorrow is another day. You have to keep moving forward. That's part of the game," Andres Torres said.

The Giants will attempt to do so tonight behind Bumgarner, who has put together two great outings since being drilled for eight runs while recording just one out versus the Twins on June 21.

The 21-year-old lefty bounced back with seven innings of one-run ball to beat the Indians five days later, striking out 11 in his first home win of the season, and then held the Tigers to a run over 7 1/3 frames on Friday. Bumgarner struck out another nine in the no-decision and has given up two runs or less in six of his last seven starts.

Bumgarner is 4-9 with a 3.65 earned run average in 17 starts this year, but that includes just a 1-5 mark and 5.05 ERA in eight at home.

The 2007 first-round pick lost to the Padres on April 5 in his season debut, giving up three runs over just three innings, and is winless in five career games (four starts) versus the NL West rivals. He is 0-2 in that time with a 2.96 ERA.

Dustin Moseley hopes to avoid a third straight loss as he starts tonight for the Padres.

The lack of run support that plagued the right-hander at the start of the season has returned, but while Moseley was able to pitch well in some tough- luck losses he hasn't helped his own cause as of late. The Padres have scored just one run over his last two outings, but he has been charged with giving up eight, though only half of those have been earned.

Moseley yielded three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over 5 2/3 innings versus the Braves on June 25 in a 10-1 loss, then allowed five runs -- two earned -- on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings at Seattle. The 29-year-old also walked four for a second straight start in a 6-0 loss.

Moseley fell to 2-8 with a 3.07 ERA in 16 starts this year and will face the Giants for the first time.