Brewers at Giants
After winning the series opener with a rare power surge, the San Francisco Giants look to carry the momentum into Saturday afternoon’s contest against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. The Giants began the three-game set ranked 14th in the National League in home runs (60) but went deep three times in Friday’s 5-3 victory.
Kevin Pillar, Pablo Sandoval and Mike Yastrzemski each homered and Will Smith recorded his 17th save in as many chances as the Giants won their third straight and improved to 4-2 on their eight-game homestand. San Francisco is seeking more consistency from leadoff hitter Joe Panik, who went 0-for-4 on Friday and is batting .208 over his last 17 games after hitting .325 in 20 contests from April 28-May 23. Milwaukee has lost two of its last three following a four-game winning streak and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position while stranding 11 in Friday’s loss. Ryan Braun saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (0-1, 12.00 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (3-6, 3.83)
Nelson made his first start in 21 months on Wednesday and allowed five runs - four earned - over three innings in an 8-1 loss to Miami. “He’s disappointed with how it went, but you have to keep getting back up,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell told reporters. “He’s fought this fight for a long time now. He has to keep getting up, keep getting better, and he'll do that.” The 30-year-old missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury after going 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 2017.
Bumgarner was a hard-luck loser on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers after allowing one run and four hits in seven innings. The four-time All-Star will be a free agent at the end of the season and could be one of several veterans dealt by the Giants before the July 31 trade deadline. Yasmani Grandal is 2-for-16 with seven strikeouts against Bumgarner, who is 7-4 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 career starts versus Milwaukee – including an 0-2 record and 4.50 mark in two outings last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants C Buster Posey is 22-for-47 with four extra-base hits in his last 12 games against Milwaukee.
2. Brewers OF Christian Yelich extended his hitting streak to 11 contests with an RBI single on Friday.
3. San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt has reached base safely in 17 straight games.