Good hitting has helped the Milwaukee Brewers dominate at home against the San Francisco Giants in recent years. Continuing that success at the plate won't be easy against Matt Cain.
Cain, with a chance to become the NL's first 10-game winner, looks to help the Giants end their woes at Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
The Brewers (38-34) have won 12 of their last 14 at home against San Francisco (39-32), scoring 7.0 runs per game. They've also won the last four meetings at Miller Park, hitting two homers in each.
However, Milwaukee went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position Thursday in a 6-4 loss to Minnesota and will now have to face Cain (9-1, 2.28 ERA), one of the majors' top young players.
The right-hander pitched well enough to win his last start, but San Francisco needed 11 innings to beat Texas 2-1 on Saturday night. Cain continued a push for his first All-Star nod next month, allowing one run and three hits while striking out eight in eight innings.
Cain, who had won six straight starts, hasn't lost in nine outings since his only defeat, May 2 against Colorado. He'll follow two straight strong performances from Giants pitchers.
Tim Lincecum threw a complete game in San Francisco's 4-1 win over Oakland on Tuesday night, and Randy Johnson earned career win No. 302 as the Giants won the series finale 6-3 the following evening.
"We know we can win any game with any guy starting for us," San Francisco reliever Sergio Romo told the team's official Web site. "Pitching is pitching, man. If that's our strength, then we'll ride it."
Cain is 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA in three career starts versus the Brewers. He'll be matched up with another blossoming pitcher.
Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo (7-4, 3.00) is 3-2 with a 1.88 ERA in his last six starts. The right-hander gave up three runs and six hits while striking out eight in seven innings against Detroit on Sunday, but the Brewers lost 3-2.
Gallardo is 2-1 with a 5.63 ERA in three career starts against the Giants, who are averaging just 4.0 runs a contest.
Aaron Rowand drove in a runner from second base with a double in the second inning Wednesday after San Francisco went 3 for 33 with runners in scoring position in its previous four games. Rowand went 6 for 11 (.545) with a homer, three triples and four RBIs as the Giants won two of three games at home against the Brewers from April 7-9.
Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is batting .387 with five homers and 18 RBIs in 18 games against San Francisco. He hit his 16th homer of the season Wednesday, but the Brewers lost for the fifth time in six games.
Prince Fielder hit his team-high 18th homer for Milwaukee. However, he went 2 for 12 (.167) without a homer and four strikeouts in the Brewers' first series with the Giants this season.