Preview: Giants at Cardinals

[June 03, 2016]  After splitting a four-game set with woeful Atlanta, the San Francisco Giants look to get back in a positive groove when they open a three-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. San Francisco had won 15 of 17 games before stumbling a bit versus the Braves but ended the set on a good note as Madison Bumgarner tossed a gem on Thursday, recording 11 strikeouts while scattering four hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings and adding a two-run homer en route to his sixth straight victory in a 6-0 triumph.

The outing continued the Giants' run of strong performances from their starting pitchers, who helped the club post a major league-best 2.47 ERA during the month of May. St. Louis is coming off a 3-1 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday that concluded a 4-3 road trip and denied it a three-game sweep of the Brewers. Aledmys Diaz recorded one of the Cardinals' four hits in the setback to finish 5-for-13 in the series and has hit safely in seven of his last eight contests. Matt Holliday has been even hotter at the plate, collecting 11 hits in 20 at-bats during his five-game hitting streak.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (8-1, 2.31 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (5-3, 5.71)

Diaz and Holliday will have their work cut out for them against Cueto, who has won five consecutive decisions and allowed a total of four earned runs over his last five starts. The 30-year-old Dominican worked only six innings in a triumph at Colorado on Sunday due to a stiff back, allowing two runs - one earned - and six hits after yielding one run in back-to-back complete games against San Diego. Cueto has had his problems with St. Louis, going 5-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 20 career starts.

Wainwright also has won his last five decisions, including a victory at Washington on Saturday in which he yielded four runs and six hits over a season-high seven innings. The 34-year-old native of Georgia served up three home runs in the triumph after giving up the same amount over his previous six outings. Wainwright has posted a solid 3.11 ERA in 12 career games - 10 starts - against San Francisco but owns just a 5-5 record.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants RF Hunter Pence landed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after aggravating his right hamstring injury and was replaced on the roster by OF Mac Williamson, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

2. St. Louis has registered 10 pinch-hit home runs through 54 games this year, tying the franchise record set in 1998 and moving within four of the major-league mark established in 2001 by both San Francisco and Arizona.

3. San Francisco C Buster Posey has hit three of his eight homers on the season during the team's 10-game road trip, on which it is 4-3.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Cardinals 3

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