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Giants eye first home sweep of season

Jul 24, 2008 - 11:19 AM Washington (38-63) at San Francisco (42-58) 3:35 p.m. EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- The San Francisco Giants haven't played well at home this season, but a meeting with the Washington Nationals has halted that trend for the moment.

The Giants try to complete a three-game sweep of the lowly Nationals when the teams meet for the series finale on Thursday.

Rich Aurilia's two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday lifted San Francisco to a 6-4 triumph over Washington, which is 0-6 against the Giants this year.

With the victory, the Giants posted consecutive home wins for the first time since June 2-3. They also recorded their first series win here since taking two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies from May 9-11.

"I can't remember the last time we won back-to-back games, let alone the last time we won a series at home," Aurilia said. "We've played pretty decently the last couple days and just let the ball roll. Hopefully (on Thursday), we'll go out and do the same thing."

San Francisco starter Matt Cain (5-8, 4.08 ERA) has posted a 3.79 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings over his last three starts but has dropped his two decisions over that span.

Tim Redding (7-4, 4.17) counters for the Nationals looking to bounce back from a dismal outing. The 30-year-old righthander was pounded for six runs and six hits in just four innings, walking three while striking out three en route to a 7-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Friday.