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Giants lean on Cain against Brewers

May 22, 2012 - 3:06 PM (Sports Network) - While supposed Giants staff ace Tim Lincecum continues to struggle this season, it appears Matt Cain has hit the switch.

Cain will take the ball tonight in the middle portion of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park hoping to stretch his unbeaten streak to three games. Cain has won back-to-back starts for the first time this season and is coming off Thursday's 7-5 win over St. Louis in which he allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.

The right-hander improved to 3-2 in eight starts to go along with a 2.67 ERA. Cain faced the Brewers in a 4-3 win this season on May 6, when he tossed seven innings of two-run ball with 10 strikeouts for a no-decision. In eight career starts against Milwaukee, Cain is 2-5 with a 4.42 ERA.

San Francisco needed 14 innings to dispose of Milwaukee last night in a 4-3 victory, as Hector Sanchez led off the top of the 14th with a solo home run off Juan Perez. Buster Posey hit a three-run homer in the first inning for the Giants, who won for the seventh time in 10 tries and opened a seven-game road trip on a high note.

"He's a good hitter from both sides. He was fresh and he was ready," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Sanchez. "You hope someone pops one, and Hector's a good pick. It would have been a tough one to lose. We had just the two home runs, but that's something we've been missing."

Giants closer Santiago Casilla, who pitched a scoreless 13th, came back out for the 14th and turned away the Brewers to collect the win. Madison Bumgarner started the game for San Francisco and lasted 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs -- one earned -- with 10 strikeouts in the no-decision. Melky Cabrera had three hits and scored a run.

Milwaukee has lost seven of nine games and got a two-run homer from Ryan Braun last night. Braun, though, left the game in the 10th inning with a tight right groin and is listed as day-to-day. He is riding a 10-game hitting streak and has four straight multi-hit games. The reigning NL MVP is batting .382 with three doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI this month.

Aramis Ramirez had an RBI double for the Brewers, who have lost seven of nine games.

Perez was dealt the loss for giving up Sanchez's homer in the 14th and starter Randy Wolf permitted three runs in seven innings.

"He's had a couple of tough situations," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said of Perez. "He's made some good pitches and he's struggled some. He's pitched three days in a row but we have to start swinging the bats."

Milwaukee right-hander Shaun Marcum gets the nod tonight for the Brewers and is just 2-2 in eight starts to go along with a 3.31 ERA. He was saddled with the loss in Thursday's 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Houston Astros, as Marcum gave up four runs -- three earned -- and nine hits in five innings.

Marcum, who had won his previous outing on May 12 versus the Chicago Cubs, has been battling a sore rib cage and should be ready to go tonight. Marcum threw six innings of three-run ball for a no-decision against San Francisco in a 4-3 loss on May 6 and is 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA in four career starts in this series.

The Brewers dropped two of three to the Giants from May 4-6.