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Zito looks to win third straight start

Jun 4, 2007 - 1:22 PM San Francisco (26-29) at Philadelphia (28-28) 1:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Barry Zito will look to win his third straight start as the San Francisco Giants wrap up a four-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

Since getting rocked for a season-high seven runs in four innings of a 15-3 loss to his former team the Oakland Athletics on May 18, Zito (5-5, 4.21 ERA) has been on a tear.

The former Cy Young Award winner has yielded just a run and 10 hits over 14 innings over his past two starts.

In his last time out, the lefthanded Zito threw seven strong innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven in a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday.

The Phillies will counter with Jon Lieber (2-3, 3.86), who will be looking to turn around his struggles.

Lieber was roughed up for five runs and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings in Tuesday's 11-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Francisco handed Lieber his first loss of the season on May 5. The 13-year veteran allowed four runs in six innings in the 9-4 setback.

Lieber gave up a solo home run in that meeting to Barry Bonds, who is 10 home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. Bonds is expected to start after having just pinch hit on Sunday.

The Giants absorbed a 9-8 loss Sunday despite holding a 7-3 lead through six innings. However, the Phillies rallied in the seventh with five runs, including three on a homer by Ryan Howard.

It was the fourth homer in the last seven games for the reigning National League MVP.

Although San Francisco tied the game at 8-8 on Kevin Frandsen's RBI single in the ninth, Shane Victorino ended it with a game-winning homer in the bottom half.