Line: SF Giants -140

Total: 7.5

Preview: The Arizona Dimondbacks come into San Francisco in a dead lock tie for the NL West with both teams sitting at exactly 61-49. The Diamondbacks send out 8-5 Jason Marquis and his 3.95 ERA on the season up against the Giants Ryan Vogelsong and his impressive 8-1 and 2.33 ERA on the season. Even more impressive for Vogelsong is his numbers at home where he is 5-1 and a 1.35 ERA! The good news for the Diamondbacks is that they score 4.4 runs per game on the road and hit right handed pitching pretty well at 4.8 runs per game. The Giants struggle to score runs every night, even though Carlos Beltran is definitely going to help them in the long run. The Giants scored just 1 run last night and a total of 3 runs in the 2 games this series against the Diamondbacks.

In order for the Giants to get back on track they will have to score more runs then they have been. I know that they were never an offensive powerhouse of a team, but 3 runs in 2 games makes it really hard for a team to win, even if the pitching staff is the best in baseball. Vogelsong will come to play today in San Fran, as he always does, but it will be up to the hitters to get the job done and get him some run support so he isn’t out there thinking he has to throw a shutout to win and he can pitch with some confidence.

The Diamondbacks are doing everything right it seems so for them to win and take the sweep today on the road, they don’t have to change a thing. Their pitchers are out pitching those great pitchers for the Giants and their bats are hitting the ball, like they always do. Clear pitching advantage today goes to the Giants, but then again hasn’t it the last 2 nights as well? I think this is going to be a great game, probably low scoring and the winner walks out with the NL West division lead in August, which is always a good position to be in.