Game Preview: Game 152 @ San Francisco Giants

With last night's loss, we've helped cut the Giants' magic number down to two. So depending on how the Dodgers fare this afternoon against the Reds, there is a chance of the Giants clinching the NL West tonight. But whether or not the Dodgers win today, we still have a chance to postpone San Francisco's celebration until at least tomorrow if we rebound from last night and get the victory tonight.

Left-hander Andrew Werner, who is 2-1 on the season, will take the mound and try to slow down the Giants' hot streak. Werner put up quality starts in his first four major league appearances, allowing two runs or less and going at least six innings in each. However, he had a rough time in his last start, surrendering five runs on seven hits in five innings. With a 1-3 record over our last four starts, it is up to Werner to get us back on the winning track tonight and help put an end to this mini-slump.

Werner will have to find a way to deal with Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval. Posey is batting .440 with four home runs and 11 RBI over his last 13 games. Last night he hit an RBI single that tied the game for the Giants. Sandoval is hitting .579 with four home runs, nine RBI, and six runs scored over his last five games and he went 3-for-3 with a walk last night.

San Francisco will send Madison Bumgarner to the hill to try to get them closer to the division title. The Giants have won six straight against San Diego with Bumgarner on the mound, and he has gone 3-0 in that span. Three of those starts, and two wins, occured earlier this season. However, he is coming off a bit of a rough performance of his own. Despite only giving up a run on four hits in six innings Monday against Colorado, he had a shaky outing and felt that his mechanics were the worst they've been all season. Prior to that start, he went 0-3 over a span of four starts.

Jesus Guzman is 8-for-19 and Chris Denorfia is 10-for-27 all-time against Bumgarner. Chase Headley, who hit his 29th home run of the season last night, has gone 7-for-21 in his career against Bumgarner. Our Friars trail the Giants by five games in the season series, with five games left to go.