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Lincecum looks to continue dominance in NL

Jul 3, 2008 - 1:29 PM Chicago Cubs (51-34) at San Francisco (37-48), 7:05 p.m. EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Tim Lincecum has made quite a bid to start the All-Star Game for the National League on July 15 at Yankee Stadium.

The 23-year-old Lincecum has been silencing lineups all season, and he could make the Chicago Cubs his latest victim Thursday as the San Francisco Giants wrap up a four-game home series against the NL Central leaders.

Lincecum (9-1, 2.38 ERA) leads the NL in strikeouts (114) and is second in wins. While possessing possible Cy Young credentials, his next scheduled start is for July 9, which lines him up as a candidate with a fresh arm to throw at least two innings in the All-Star Game.

Sean Gallagher (3-3, 4.36) will take the mound for the Cubs, who have lost five of their last seven games. They edged the Giants on Wednesday, 6-5, thanks to a solo home run by Mike Fontenot, who snapped a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning.

The Cubs were fortunate to win because reliever Carlos Marmol allowed a game-tying three-run homer on Wednesday. Though he picked up the win, Marmol has surrendered six runs in his past five outings.