The National League West-leading San Francisco Giants shoot for a series win over the Atlanta Braves Tuesday in the middle test of a three-game set at AT&T Park.
The Giants took Monday's opener with the Braves by a 4-2 score thanks to a three-run seventh inning highlighted by Tyler Colvin's two-run triple and an RBI single from Brandon Hicks. Colvin also homered and Angel Pagan picked up three hits for the Giants, winners in 14 of the last 18 games.
Tim Lincecum picked up the win with 11 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings, and was charged with one run and two hits with four walks. Sergio Romo closed the door in the ninth for his 13th save.
"It was vintage Timmy the way he had his good secondary pitches going along with his fastball," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
San Francisco started a seven-game homestand on a positive note and has a 2 1/2- game lead on the Colorado Rockies in the division.
The Giants will also welcome Miami to town for four games by the bay.
Ryan Vogelsong takes the ball Tuesday for San Francisco and he has allowed just two earned run in his past three starts -- all San Francisco wins. He did not record a decision in Thursday's 3-1 win at Dodger Stadium, where he limited the hosts to a run on five hits and two walks over 7 1/3 innings.
Vogelsong, who hurled six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win at Atlanta on May 3, is 1-1 in seven starts to go with a 3.93 ERA. In five career games (4 starts) against the Braves, the righty is 2-1 with a 3.81 ERA.
The Braves look to get back on track after starting a six-game trip with a loss.
Freddie Freeman and B.J. Upton both homered and Braves starting pitcher Gavin Floyd was dealt the loss. Floyd was victimized by the decisive seventh inning and lasted 6 1/3 frames, allowing four runs (3 earned) and seven hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
"I felt I was executing well the whole game," Floyd said.
Atlanta was coming off a three-game weekend sweep of the Chicago Cubs and had won four of five games. The Braves still sit atop the NL East by 1 games ahead of the Marlins.
The Braves will visit St. Louis for three games after this set with the Giants.
Mike Minor has lost both of his starts for the Braves and hopes a third time is the charm when he draws the start Tuesday. Minor made his season debut in a 2-1 loss to the Giants on May 2, when he allowed both runs on solo homers in six innings of work.
Minor then toed the rubber in Wednesday's 7-1 loss to St. Louis and was pounded for six runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander has a 2-1 record and a 2.93 ERA in five career starts against the Giants.
San Francisco won all three games in Atlanta from May 2-4 and is 8-2 in the past 10 encounters between the two clubs.
[SportsNetwork.com]
