Giants at Diamondbacks
The San Francisco Giants may have found their permanent leadoff hitter in Joe Panik, who has reached base safely in 16 straight games. The veteran second baseman has settled in at the top of the order for the Giants, who visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series.
Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval each homered while Panik reached base three times in Saturday’s 8-5 win as the Giants bounced back from a 7-0 loss in the series opener. Steven Duggar opened the season as the team’s primary leadoff hitter before giving way to Panik, who has batted first in 15 of the last 17 games and is hitting .333 with five doubles, one home run and seven RBIs over his last 16 contests. Arizona fell to 4-5 on its 10-game homestand despite homers from Eduardo Escobar and Carson Kelly. The Diamondbacks played without one of their hottest hitters in David Peralta, who was scratched from the starting lineup after aggravating his right trapezius injury and is listed as day-to-day.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Drew Pomeranz (1-4, 5.93 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (3-1, 3.14)
Pomeranz is expected to be activated from the injured list prior to Sunday’s contest after missing the last 10 days due to a left lat strain. The 30-year-old signed with the Giants as a free agent during the winter and has posted a 33-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio with eight home runs allowed in his first seven starts. Pomeranz is 0-3 with an 8.51 ERA in eight career games (five starts) versus Arizona, including an 0-2 record and 7.88 mark in five contests (three starts) at Chase Field.
Ray won his third straight decision on Monday against Pittsburgh, allowing two runs - one earned - over five innings while becoming the second-fastest left-handed pitcher to reach 800 strikeouts in major-league history. The 27-year-old Tennessean has gone 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 27 1/3 frames in his last five starts. Panik is 7-for-17 against Ray, who owns a 4-1 record and 2.89 ERA in 11 career turns versus San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona OF Adam Jones has gone 12-for-27 with three home runs and eight RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak.
2. Belt has reached base safely in each of his last 24 games at Chase Field dating back to Sept. 8, 2015.
3. Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (abdomen) will make his next scheduled start on Tuesday after completing a successful bullpen session on Saturday.