Giants vs Diamondbacks live streaming link 4/16. Game Review: The San Francisco Giants appear to be figuring things out after a slow start, but keeping the momentum going with Barry Zito on the mound could be difficult.
The defending World Series champions have followed a 1-4 start with six wins in eight games. San Francisco (7-6) opened this three-game series with a 5-2 victory Friday for its second three-game winning streak of the season.
Pablo Sandoval homered for a second straight game and Matt Cain pitched six solid innings. Sandoval's three-run shot in the first provided Cain with all the support he needed as he gave up one run and four hits.
Watch at 8:10 PM ET, April 16, 2011
Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
The Giants' previous three-game run came to an end after a rough start by Zito (0-1, 5.56 ERA). The struggling left-hander gave up four runs, six hits and walked five over 5 1/3 innings of a 6-1 loss to St. Louis on Sunday.
"All day I was battling my timing in the delivery," Zito said. "I've been throwing strikes all spring. It was a timing issue with the delivery. It's just something that gets out of whack when you try to do too much."
Since signing with the Giants in January 2007, slow starts have not been unusual for Zito, although he opened last year winning his first five decisions. Over the last five seasons, he is 6-11 with a 4.28 ERA in April.
Facing Arizona (5-7) might not help. Zito is 3-8 with a 5.15 ERA in 14 career starts against the Diamondbacks, including two losses last season. Stephen Drew is batting .344 against Zito.
Drew will try to help Arizona avoid its second three-game skid this month. The Diamondbacks were limited to six hits Friday and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. They had come in averaging 6.9 runs and 10.8 hits in their previous eight games.
"We didn't take advantage of our situations," manager Kirk Gibson said.
Clutch hitting isn't Arizona's biggest problem, however, as its pitching staff has an 8.40 ERA over the last five games. The starters are 1/3 with a 10.17 ERA during that stretch, failing to record a quality start.
Joe Saunders (0-1, 6.00) looks to end that trend. He escaped without a decision Sunday in a 10-8 win over Cincinnati after allowing five runs and six hits in three innings.
The left-hander will be making his first start against the Giants, but he's plenty familiar with Aubrey Huff and Miguel Tejada from his time in the AL. Huff is 8 for 18 against Saunders while Tejada is 6 for 12 with two home runs.
The Diamondbacks have lost four straight and 14 of 17 against the Giants.
GiantsZito will try to earn his first victory of the season Saturday night as the visiting Giants continue their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
(7-6, 3-4 away)
Diamondbacks
(5-7, 3-4 home)
The defending World Series champions have followed a 1-4 start with six wins in eight games. San Francisco (7-6) opened this three-game series with a 5-2 victory Friday for its second three-game winning streak of the season.
Pablo Sandoval homered for a second straight game and Matt Cain pitched six solid innings. Sandoval's three-run shot in the first provided Cain with all the support he needed as he gave up one run and four hits.
Watch at 8:10 PM ET, April 16, 2011
Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
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"I just tried to get a good pitch to hit," Sandoval said, "get relaxed at the plate and get a good pitch you can hit."The Giants' previous three-game run came to an end after a rough start by Zito (0-1, 5.56 ERA). The struggling left-hander gave up four runs, six hits and walked five over 5 1/3 innings of a 6-1 loss to St. Louis on Sunday.
"All day I was battling my timing in the delivery," Zito said. "I've been throwing strikes all spring. It was a timing issue with the delivery. It's just something that gets out of whack when you try to do too much."
Since signing with the Giants in January 2007, slow starts have not been unusual for Zito, although he opened last year winning his first five decisions. Over the last five seasons, he is 6-11 with a 4.28 ERA in April.
Facing Arizona (5-7) might not help. Zito is 3-8 with a 5.15 ERA in 14 career starts against the Diamondbacks, including two losses last season. Stephen Drew is batting .344 against Zito.
Drew will try to help Arizona avoid its second three-game skid this month. The Diamondbacks were limited to six hits Friday and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. They had come in averaging 6.9 runs and 10.8 hits in their previous eight games.
"We didn't take advantage of our situations," manager Kirk Gibson said.
Clutch hitting isn't Arizona's biggest problem, however, as its pitching staff has an 8.40 ERA over the last five games. The starters are 1/3 with a 10.17 ERA during that stretch, failing to record a quality start.
Joe Saunders (0-1, 6.00) looks to end that trend. He escaped without a decision Sunday in a 10-8 win over Cincinnati after allowing five runs and six hits in three innings.
The left-hander will be making his first start against the Giants, but he's plenty familiar with Aubrey Huff and Miguel Tejada from his time in the AL. Huff is 8 for 18 against Saunders while Tejada is 6 for 12 with two home runs.
The Diamondbacks have lost four straight and 14 of 17 against the Giants.
