San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins

Two of the more surprising teams in the National League meet up in San Francisco as each has its sites on duplicating its strong first half to push them into the playoffs.

The San Francisco Giants (44-37) are having one of their better seasons in a long time, but are unfortunate enough to be in the same division as the best team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Still, San Francisco is currently the top team in the NL Wild Card race.

Perhaps San Francisco thought they had more of a legitimate chance at a playoff push this season when they were residing in the NL West, typically a wide open division whereas the Florida Marlins (43-40) figured to be in the bottom half of the NL East, a division dominated by the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets the last couple of seasons.

Yet struggles from both of those teams and strong play by Florida in the beginning and currently, they are just one game behind first-place Philadelphia.

Both teams come in winners of two of three in their respective weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.

Matt Cain (9-2, 2.48) will take the hill for the San Francisco Giants. Cain has one of the best ERAs in baseball over the past two seasons and first half of this one, but he has been the victim of the worst run support in the National League.

Nonetheless, Cain was named to the All-Star game where he hopes to have more run support from his league teammates if he is lucky enough to get the start. In the meantime, Cain will start in the first game of the series against Florida and will try to become the league’s second 10-game winner. His teammates did not help him when they notched just one-run, as Cain gave up a run in seven innings in a no-decision that the Giants went on to lose 2-1 in 10 innings.

While Florida is playing well, most of that has been at home. They have dropped five of six on the road and begin a seven-game road trip against San Francisco, who is among the best home teams in baseball, at 26-13.

The Florida Marlins will go with Sean West (3-2, 4.06) whose last start was ineffective when he allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings, the second time in his last three games in which he allowed five runs.

The Giants hold a special place in West’s heart, however. He picked up his first major league victory against them back on June 8 in a masterful performance in which he went eight shutout innings of a 4-0 Marlins’ victory.

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