Diamondbacks at Giants
Madison Bumgarner could be making one of his final starts for the home team at Oracle Park on Sunday, when the San Francisco Giants face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of their four-game series. The 2014 World Series MVP is widely expected to be dealt ahead of the July 31 trade deadline by the last-place Giants, who need a victory to secure their first winning month since last June.
Zack Greinke tossed seven scoreless innings and Eduardo Escobar went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday’s 4-3 victory as the Diamondbacks won for the fifth time in seven games. Catcher Alex Avila recorded two hits in place of Carson Kelly, who is batting .455 with five doubles and one home run in his last seven games and figures to be in the starting lineup on Sunday. San Francisco fell to 13-13 this month despite Stephen Vogt’s three-run homer in the ninth off Arizona closer Greg Holland. Brandon Belt snapped out a 3-for-41 slump with two singles from the leadoff spot while Joe Panik went 0-for-3 and has notched just nine hits in his last 48 at-bats.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (5-5, 3.90 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (4-7, 4.21)
Ray lost for the fourth time in six starts after giving up three runs over 6 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. “I felt really good,” he told reporters. “I felt like I mixed up really well in and out, up and down. I kept us in it and gave us a chance to win. It just didn’t come out that way.” Brandon Crawford is 3-for-20 with 10 strikeouts against the 27-year-old Ray, who is 5-1 with a 3.01 ERA in 13 career starts versus San Francisco.
Bumgarner posted his first victory since May 18 with a strong effort on Tuesday, when he struck out a season-high 11 batters over six innings against Colorado. The four-time All-Star is hoping to finish the month on a high note after registering a 4.71 ERA over 28 2/3 frames in his last five outings. Bumgarner is 11-11 with a 2.58 ERA in 34 career games (33 starts) versus Arizona but just 1-6 in his last eight starts at home against the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco has lost six of its last seven home games against the Diamondbacks.
2. Arizona is 9-4 in its last 13 road contests.
3. The Giants are 26-1 when leading after seven innings.