Lincecum and Giants Face Diamondbacks
The San Francisco Giants will send Tim Lincecum to the mound today in Arizona as a small MLB money line favorite versus Barry Enright and the Diamondbacks.
Normally, one would look at the pitching matchup Tuesday in Arizona and concede the win for the San Francisco Giants. But this hasn't been a normal season for two-time NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum who will be making his fourth start against the Diamondbacks, and third opposite their young hurler Barry Enright.
Sports books certainly aren't conceding anything to Lincecum and the Giants. Opening money lines listed San Francisco slight 120-125 favorites. TheGreek.com opened its scoreboard total a flat eight, favoring the 'under' at minus 115.
Game 1 closed right at a pick 'em, and played dead-even through nine innings without a score. Nate Schierholtz' two-run triple in the 11th broke the scoreless drought to give San Francisco the win. The final marked the sixth 'under' in the Giants' last seven games.
The win left San Francisco a game behind San Diego in the NL West after the Padres halted their losing skid with 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. The Giants trail the Phillies by a game and a half in the NL wild card hunt.
Lincecum (17-11, 3.68) struggled through August, dropping all five of his starting assignments with a 7.82 ERA. The final outing in August was at home against Enright (7-5, 2.45) with Lincecum and San Fran decided 175 favorites on the MLB odds board. The Giants ace worked six and allowed four runs, three coming home on a first inning homer by Adam LaRoche. Enright chunked seven scoreless frames as Arizona came away with a six-zip triumph.
The two hurlers also faced off on July 25 here at Chase Field with Lincecum and San Fran 145 chalk. Lincecum had his best start of the season versus the Diamondbacks, going eight and leaving with the score tied 2-2. Enright worked six and allowed two runs. The Giants eventually won the contest, 3-2, in the 10th inning.
Lincecum's first go at the D-Backs came in late May in Phoenix when he walked five, allowed five runs and surrendered five hits in five innings. He actually had a shot at the win, leaving with San Francisco ahead 6-5 as a 160 favorite. But the Giants pen couldn't hold the lead with the Diamondbacks holding on for an 8-7 victory.
Enright has been pitching under the radar since making his baseball debut in late June. The righty, a second-round selection in June 2007, has yet to allow more than three runs in any start, with eight quality starts in his dozen trips to the mound.
Game 2 should find Paul Emmel behind the plate. His season trends don't offer much to MLB bettors with a 15-14 record in favor of the visitors and 14-12-3 'under' mark. Digging a little deeper, however, and we see Emmel is 2-0 'under' in two previous contests at Chase Field, with home 'dogs winning just three times out of nine.
The three-game set will come to a close Wednesday evening. San Francisco will send lefty Barry Zito (15-13, 4.18) to the mound at Chase with Daniel Hudson (5-2, 1.13) scheduled for the Diamondbacks.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
The San Francisco Giants will send Tim Lincecum to the mound today in Arizona as a small MLB money line favorite versus Barry Enright and the Diamondbacks.
Normally, one would look at the pitching matchup Tuesday in Arizona and concede the win for the San Francisco Giants. But this hasn't been a normal season for two-time NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum who will be making his fourth start against the Diamondbacks, and third opposite their young hurler Barry Enright.
Sports books certainly aren't conceding anything to Lincecum and the Giants. Opening money lines listed San Francisco slight 120-125 favorites. TheGreek.com opened its scoreboard total a flat eight, favoring the 'under' at minus 115.
Game 1 closed right at a pick 'em, and played dead-even through nine innings without a score. Nate Schierholtz' two-run triple in the 11th broke the scoreless drought to give San Francisco the win. The final marked the sixth 'under' in the Giants' last seven games.
The win left San Francisco a game behind San Diego in the NL West after the Padres halted their losing skid with 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. The Giants trail the Phillies by a game and a half in the NL wild card hunt.
Lincecum (17-11, 3.68) struggled through August, dropping all five of his starting assignments with a 7.82 ERA. The final outing in August was at home against Enright (7-5, 2.45) with Lincecum and San Fran decided 175 favorites on the MLB odds board. The Giants ace worked six and allowed four runs, three coming home on a first inning homer by Adam LaRoche. Enright chunked seven scoreless frames as Arizona came away with a six-zip triumph.
The two hurlers also faced off on July 25 here at Chase Field with Lincecum and San Fran 145 chalk. Lincecum had his best start of the season versus the Diamondbacks, going eight and leaving with the score tied 2-2. Enright worked six and allowed two runs. The Giants eventually won the contest, 3-2, in the 10th inning.
Lincecum's first go at the D-Backs came in late May in Phoenix when he walked five, allowed five runs and surrendered five hits in five innings. He actually had a shot at the win, leaving with San Francisco ahead 6-5 as a 160 favorite. But the Giants pen couldn't hold the lead with the Diamondbacks holding on for an 8-7 victory.
Enright has been pitching under the radar since making his baseball debut in late June. The righty, a second-round selection in June 2007, has yet to allow more than three runs in any start, with eight quality starts in his dozen trips to the mound.
Game 2 should find Paul Emmel behind the plate. His season trends don't offer much to MLB bettors with a 15-14 record in favor of the visitors and 14-12-3 'under' mark. Digging a little deeper, however, and we see Emmel is 2-0 'under' in two previous contests at Chase Field, with home 'dogs winning just three times out of nine.
The three-game set will come to a close Wednesday evening. San Francisco will send lefty Barry Zito (15-13, 4.18) to the mound at Chase with Daniel Hudson (5-2, 1.13) scheduled for the Diamondbacks.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
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