MLB Game Preview - Arizona at San Francisco

Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:45 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants will attempt to extend their season high three-game winning streak Friday night when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series at Oracle Park.

The Giants won the final three games of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, including a 10-5 win in Thursday's finale, and are 5-6 in 11 home games this season. They're in last place in the National League West as they get set to face the Diamondbacks for the first time this season.

The biggest recent development with the Giants is the addition of top prospect Joey Bart to the major-league roster. Bart, brought up from the team's alternate training site before Thursday's game, was the second overall pick in the 2018 draft and has been touted as the catcher of the future for San Francisco.

Bart got his first major-league hit, a double, on Thursday against the Angels.

"Moving forward, the more I can catch our pitchers and figure out what they're doing and what they like to do and what makes them succeed, I'll feel more comfortable," Bart, 23, said. "Moving forward, just keep my head down and keep working."

Longtime Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford now has 100 career home runs after going deep on Thursday night. That total is the third-most all time among Giants shortstops.

The Diamondbacks went from a season-best six-game winning streak to back-to-back losses across the San Francisco Bay in Oakland on Wednesday and Thursday. They scored just one run in each contest, silenced by a pair of A's left-handers in Jesus Luzardo and Sean Manaea.

Arizona is winless in six games against left-handed starters this season. But they aren't likely to face a lefty to begin with on Friday. San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler announced after Thursday's game that right-hander Logan Webb (1-2, 3.54 ERA) will start for the Giants.

Webb has one career start against the D-backs, going five innings for the win and allowing one earned run on five hits with seven strikeouts.

"I feel like you can run out anybody and we're going to beat them, that's the way I feel about our team," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "So with all due respect to the lefties that we have faced, I still believe in these guys to go out and execute a game plan.

"We know what the challenge is. We've just got to step up and get the job done," Lovullo added.

Arizona went 10-9 against the Giants in 2019, including a 7-2 mark at Oracle Park. Second baseman Ketel Marte is hitting .362 with two doubles, two triples, five home runs and 10 runs batted in his past 11 games against the Giants.

Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray (1-2, 8.59 ERA) looks to build on five hitless innings and a run allowed in a no-decision in his last start, Aug. 16. He recorded his 1,000th career strikeout in that game against the San Diego Padres.

Ray was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts in 2019 against the Giants and is 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 14 career starts. He's gone 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA in seven starts at Oracle Park.

--Field Level Media