SAN DIEGO PADRES @ SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Baseball : North America : MLB
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011, 10:15PM US
(3:15AM GMT)

---

PREVIEW

This could very well be a pitchers duel tonight. The Giants are back home after a 4-6 run away on their most recent roadtrip. However, with San Francisco still just 1 game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have lost 6 straight, there is every reason to expect motivation to be at their highest.

The San Diego Padres start Mat Latos, who has been on a crazy run of late, allowing 3 runs or less in his last 10. He owns a 10-9 mark this season, with a 2.86ERA. Despite his pitching, the Padres have lost 7 of those 10 starts, and the problem lies with the bullpen, who give up the runs after Latos has left the game. Add to that the problems with the offence failing to provide run support and all of a sudden Latos is vulnerable.

San Diego has lost 4 of Latos' last 5 road starts, and 7 of the 11 starts he has made on the road this season. The record is coming from his excellent form at home, which is not a factor tonight. Also, Latos seems to perform worse at night, with a 2-8 mark and a 4.08ERA. In baseball, stats don't lie.

The Giants counter with Matt Cain, who is also 10-9 with a 2.86ERA! Cain too has not gotten the kind of run support he deserves but has pitched well coming into this. In his last 8 starts, only 1 outing was poor.

Cain pitched a gem last Wednesday, restricting the Atlanta Braves to just 1 unearned run over 8 innings. He comes into this one with a 1.23ERA over his last 3 starts and has a healthy 3.49ERA in 25 career starts against San Diego, giving him a 5-10 record.

TEAM STATS

San Diego Padres
Overall 59-70, Streak W4

San Francisco Giants
Overall 68-60, Streak W1

BETTING VERDICT

San Diego have lost all of Latos last 5 starts against the Giants. Tonight makes it 6. Take San Francisco.Giants to win.

The Pick :

San Francisco Giants to win

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take the San Francisco Giants to win @ 1.75 (Pinnacle)