SAN FRANCISCO -- After a handful of sturdy starts to open the season, Kevin Correia was pretty sure he was throwing better than he ever had in his six-year career. He wasn't dominating, but he felt he was hitting his spots and consistently making good pitches.

With a 4.21 ERA in four starts, Correia's role as the No. 5 starter in the rotation was secure. But he pulled a muscle in his left side in the first inning of a game against the Reds on April 26, and he's been on the disabled list since.

Correia will return to the Giants on Sunday at AT&T Park in the final game of a three-day, Interleague series against the cross-bay rival A's. He was successful in three rehab starts in the past month. In two games with Triple-A Fresno, Correia pitched 12 innings and allowed two runs. He also had a 3 1/3-inning shutout appearance with Class A San Jose.

"It's hard to get injured when you feel like you're throwing well," Correia said. "It really makes you that much more anxious to get back to it."

Because he built his stamina and used his entire pitching repertoire in the Minor League starts, Correia doesn't think he'll be rusty in his first Major League game in more than a month. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Correia will be limited to around 100 pitches, but that count is no different than most other starts.

"I'm ready to go out there," Correia said. "I feel like I've been ready and I've got my confidence up. I've made those starts in the Minor Leagues where I used all my normal stuff, so I don't think I'll have any limitations."

While he was gone, left-hander Pat Misch took his place. But he hadn't been effective as a starter, and he was optioned to Fresno on Saturday night to make space for Correia on the active roster. Misch allowed three or more runs in the six games he started, all games San Francisco lost. He had a 7.03 ERA while allowing 25 runs in 32 innings in those appearances.

Correia is hoping to do what Misch normally could not: eat innings and keep opponents off the board. If all goes according to plan on Sunday, Correia won't feel any lingering effects from his injury, and he'll earn a victory that will net the Giants some much-needed bragging rights in the Battle of the Bay.

"It's kind of a big series, but every game is a big game for us," Correia said. "I just want to give us a chance to win. I don't think I'll have any setbacks at all."

Pitching matchup
SF: RHP Kevin Correia (1-3, 4.50 ERA)
This will be Correia's first start since April 26, when he was removed after facing three Cincinnati hitters with a strained muscle in his left side. Correia looked sharp in his Minor League injury rehabilitation outings -- particularly last Monday, when he allowed one run and five hits in seven innings against Triple-A Colorado Springs. Except for that truncated effort against the Reds, Correia lasted at least six innings in each of his four starts.

OAK: LHP Dana Eveland (4-5, 3.76 ERA)
Entering his last start against the Yankees, Eveland had not been the same pitcher since throwing a one-run complete game on May 21 against the Rays. He had lasted just 4 1/3 innings in two consecutive starts, giving up a combined 10 runs. Against New York he fared better, giving up two runs on just four hits while walking six and striking out three, but it wasn't enough for a win. It marked the seventh time in 13 starts he allowed two runs or fewer. This will be Eveland's first career start versus the Giants. In 2007, he pitched a perfect 1/3 of an inning in relief against them as a Diamondback.

Tidbits
Spouses and friends of Giants and A's players had a softball game on the AT&T Park field before Saturday's game. The Giants team won, 12-6, but not before the sprinklers went on in the middle of the game. Perhaps not coincidentally, the sprinklers also turned on in the ninth inning of the Giants-A's game on Friday night. ... The San Francisco 50th anniversary infielders reunion celebration on Saturday was the first of three similar events that will take place this season. Former Giants pitchers and catchers will be honored July 19, and outfielders will have an event Aug. 9. ... San Francisco will play its next four series against American League teams: Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland and a second series against Oakland. ... Before Saturday's game, the Giants' 17-18 road record was third best in the National League. But their home record, 13-20, was worst in the NL. Second from the bottom are the Nationals (14-21), who the Giants swept in a four-game series in Washington last week. ... San Francisco's game on Tuesday against Detroit will be seen on CSN-Bay Area, while next Friday's game at Kansas City will be on NBC-11.

2008 Interleague schedule

May 16 vs. White Sox: Lost, 2-0
May 17 vs. White Sox: Lost, 3-1
May 18 vs. White Sox: Lost, 13-8
June 13-15 vs. A's
June 16-18 vs. Tigers
June 20-22 at Royals
June 24-26 at Indians
June 27-29 at A's

Tickets
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On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• CSN-BA

On radio
• KNBR 680, KLOK 1170 (Español)

Up next
• Monday: Giants (Tim Lincecum, 8-1, 1.99) vs. Tigers (Justin Verlander, 3-9, 4.65), 7:15 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Giants (Jonathan Sanchez, 6-3, 4.26) vs. Tigers (Kenny Rogers, 4-4, 4.63), 7:15 p.m. PT
• Wednesday: Giants (Barry Zito, 2-10, 5.88) vs. Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 6-2, 3.31), 12:45 p.m. PT