GDT 6/9/13: Battlers vs Rattlers

[Mays-Fan]

Torres LF
Scutaro 2B
Posey C
Pence RF
Arias 3B
Belt 1B
Perez CF
Crawford SS
Gaudin P

No predictions from me.

 

[Mays-Fan]

San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - Preview - June 09, 2013 - ESPN

The San Francisco Giants seem to enjoy facing the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road.

The same could be said of Hunter Pence.

The right fielder looks to spark another victory and lead the Giants to a series win at Chase Field on Sunday.

San Francisco (32-29) has won eight of 10 on the road versus Arizona (35-27) after Saturday's 10-5 victory. The Giants dropped the opener of this three-game set with the NL West leader 3-1 a day earlier.

Pence is batting .330 at Arizona for his highest average at any road venue with at least 40 at-bats. He also has seven homers and 22 RBIs in 25 games at Chase.

He came through again Saturday, connecting for a solo homer and scoring three times as the Giants avoided a third straight loss.

Pence's aggressiveness on the base paths was key. He raced to first base to reach on a fielder's choice, then took off for second. Once there, he sprinted toward third, stealing another base and inducing a throwing error that allowed him to score San Francisco's first run.

"He's trying to live up to that name 'Full Throttle,'" manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a guy that the team feeds off his energy."

That may continue since Pence has a .348 average over his last 12 games, and is 2 for 2 with a grand slam versus the Diamondbacks' scheduled starter Tyler Skaggs.

Pence's production may be especially important if Pablo Sandoval is out after he left in the fourth inning Saturday with a left foot strain. The third baseman is a .358 hitter at Phoenix.

Chad Gaudin (1-1, 2.21 ERA) is slated to get a second turn in the rotation with Ryan Vogelsong out with a broken right hand.

Gaudin was impressive in Sunday's 4-2 win over St. Louis, his first start since 2009 with the New York Yankees. The journeyman right-hander allowed two runs in six innings.

"He gave us a huge shot in the arm," Bochy said.

Gaudin is starting against Arizona for the first time since July 8, 2009, with San Diego. He was charged with a 3-2 loss in his only meeting with the Diamondbacks this year, giving up an RBI double to Cody Ross in the top of the 10th on April 24.

Skaggs (1-0, 3.86) will make his third start while Brandon McCarthy remains on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.

"We really have no other options," manager Kirk Gibson told the team's official website. "We're not going to send him down and go get somebody else."

Skaggs, one of the team's top pitching prospects, was tagged for five runs and two homers in 5 2/3 innings but didn't record a decision in Tuesday's 7-6 win at St. Louis. He was much more impressive in his season debut eight days earlier, tossing six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a 5-3 win over Texas.

The left-hander allowed five runs in four innings of a 6-2 loss in his only meeting with San Francisco on Sept. 14.

Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt tied Luis Gonzalez's 2002 team record by driving in at least one run in eight straight games. Seventeen of his league-leading 57 RBIs have come during that stretch.

 

[calsnowskier]

JCP getting the start in center. I don't have super-high-hopes for the kid, but it is nice to see home-grown talent get shots...

 

[Mays-Fan]

JCP getting the start in center. I don't have super-high-hopes for the kid, but it is nice to see home-grown talent get shots...

Worth a shot with Blanco at a .659 OPS for the year.

Skaggs is a LHP, JCP a RHH. We hit this guy last time we saw him: "The left-hander allowed five runs in four innings of a 6-2 loss in his only meeting with San Francisco on Sept. 14."

Would be nice to get an upside surprise here from someone.

 

[SFGRTB]

I'm excited to see what Perez can do, I've never seen him in action.

 

[Mays-Fan]

I'm excited to see what Perez can do, I've never seen him in action.

Neither have I, but he has basically hit better at every level he's moved up to.

Juan Perez Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com

Let's hope he keeps it going.

 

[SFGRTB]

Neither have I, but he has basically hit better at every level he's moved up to.

Juan Perez Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com

Let's hope he keeps it going.

Yeah, and he had an insane Junior College season that got him drafted. 37 homers, 29 steals, +100 RBI. All the reports on him are pretty positive, nothing spectacular but solid.

 

[SFGRTB]

2-0, Posey and Arias with RBI singles. Bases-loaded, no out.

 

[Stokes1931]

I was just going to post that I don't like Kobe at #5. I take back what I almost posted but didn't!

RBI Kobe

 

[SFGRTB]

I was just going to post that I don't like Kobe at #5. I take back what I almost posted but didn't!

RBI Kobe

Kobe against a lefty batting 5th with Pablo out I can deal with.

 

[SFGRTB]

Alright, the kid is getting his shot with the bags loaded.

 

[Stokes1931]

Let's see what the rook can do. Maybe he can Puig it.

 

[SFGRTB]

How did he catch that? I never saw that go into the glove.

 

[Stokes1931]

Meh!

 

[SFGRTB]

Well that was 3 disappointing ABs from the kids.

 

[Stokes1931]

Could have broken open the game there in the first. Bases loaded no outs, and not a single run scores from #6, #7, #8.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

JUAN PEREZ!!!!!


EZ!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mays-Fan]

Nice shutdown inning there.

 

[Stokes1931]

Fellas, I leave this in your good hands. I am off to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary of a sweet couple who are in their last days in Memory Care.

 

[SFGRTB]

There's the defense! Great catch kid!