News
Once again, Cain gets tough draw
San Francisco (74-61) at Milwaukee (65-69), 1:05 p.m. PT
By JR Radcliffe / Special to MLB.com
09/04/09 11:53 PM ET
MILWAUKEE -- If star-crossed Matt Cain finally busts out of his seven-game winless streak, he'll have to earn it. The right-hander will oppose yet another pitcher easily categorized as "team ace" Saturday when Yovani Gallardo toes the rubber for the Brewers, with FOX cameras watching and commentators Dick Stockton and Eric Karros providing the play-by-play. Cain has been pitching well during his streak of seven starts without a victory (his last came July 24 at Colorado), posting a 3.10 ERA in that stretch. He has held opponents to fewer than one run with seven or more innings of work on three occasions. But he's also had the bad fortune of facing some talented counterparts. During his streak, he has seen Aaron Harang of the Reds (twice), Zach Duke of the Pirates, Dan Haren of the D-backs and Johan Santana of the Mets. "You just have to go out there and pitch well," Cain said. "It's going to be a low-scoring game, and that's just part of it. You have to worry about their lineup as well. These guys are going to swing it, and you have to keep these guys away from good situations to hit. That's your focus as a pitcher." The Giants have nonetheless posted a 4-3 record in those outings, including wins against Haren and Santana, but the effort has not registered on Cain's win-loss ledger. Opposing starters have out-dueled the 24-year-old with a 2.37 ERA in those contests, and Cain's record has been 0-2. "The big thing we need to do is win as a team," Cain said. "That's our goal as a group, and that's where we're at." Gallardo and Cain also locked horns June 26 in Milwaukee, when the Brewers came away with a 5-1 victory and Cain was tagged with his first loss in 10 starts. Included in that more fortuitous run was a six-game streak of W's. The Giants have not enjoyed success at Miller Park in general, dropping 16 of 20 games. "They have great fans here a good ballpark, but it's been a tough place for us," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Pitching matchupSF: RHP Matt Cain (12-4, 2.50 ERA)
Cain's winless seven consecutive starts is the second-longest streak of his career. He twice endured eight winless starts in a row, May 19-June 29, 2007, and Aug. 25-Sept. 27, 2008. Cain needs one more victory to equal his career best, reached in 2006, and three more wins to match his 2007-08 total. Cain set the tone for his All-Star season by defeating Milwaukee in his first start of the year, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings in a 7-1 Giants win on April 9. MIL: RHP Yovani Gallardo (12-10, 3.56 ERA)
Gallardo took a 2-0 lead over the Pirates into the fifth inning on Saturday, but he got into trouble when he walked the pitcher leading off the inning. Right-hander Kevin Hart scored on a double, and that walk extended the inning long enough for Bucs third baseman Andy LaRoche to hit a two-out, two-run home run that left Gallardo in a 3-2 hole. The Brewers bailed him out, but Gallardo was out of the game after five innings for the second successive start. Manager Ken Macha will look for ways to limit the young righty's workload, but 100-plus pitches in five innings isn't helping. Tidbits
Giants hitters have just two hits in their previous 28 at-bats with runners in scoring position. They went 1-for-8 on Friday against Milwaukee. ... Bochy said before the game that he wasn't afraid to give reliever Dan Runzler his Major League debut in a critical moment of a game, and he wasn't kidding. Runzler appeared Friday for the first time and struck out Jody Gerut with a runner on second in the sixth inning of a tie game. ... Bengie Molina said his legs felt good after Friday's game, when he spent plenty of time crouching as the Giants issued a season-high 10 free passes. The catcher had been ailing with a tight right quad, keeping him out of the starting lineup. Tickets
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• Sunday: Giants (Jonathan Sanchez, 6-11, 4.15) at Brewers (Braden Looper, 11-6, 4.92), 11:05 a.m. PT
• Monday: Giants (Brad Penny, 8-8, 5.28) vs. Padres (Clayton Richard, 8-4, 4.61), 1:05 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Giants (Tim Lincecum, 13-5, 2.34) vs. Padres (Kevin Correia, 10-10, 4.29), 7:15 p.m. PT
JR Radcliffe is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
