Pre-Game & Lineups: San Francisco Giants Host Dodgers, Look To End Game Before Midnight

The San Francisco Giants once again host the rival Los Angles Dodgers tonight at AT&T Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PT. This is the middle game of a 3 game series between the clubs that are both tied atop the NL West with identical 9-5 records.

Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 8.00 ERA) gets the start for the Giants against Paul Maholm (0-1, 8.10 ERA). Both clubs are probably a bit tired after last night’s 12 inning, and almost 5 hours, marathon of a game. The Giants used 7 relievers last night and would benefit from a deep start by Vogelsong.

Jeremy Affeldt has been activated so there is some relief (ok fine, pun intended). The Giants are choosing to carry 13 pitchers as Juan Perez has been optioned to AAA Fresno.

Here are the lineups for tonight’s game.

Yasiel Puig is not in the lineup for the Dodgers tonight. If I hear anything I will update this but it’s probably his sore wrist. Although it could be for not running out fly balls. We don’t know yet, you decide.

Brandon Crawford is not in the Giants lineup tonight.

Today is Bruce Bochy‘s 59th birthday. The Giants are 2-5 since he took over as manager on his birthday. It’s also Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti’s 60th birthday. I’m sure Giants fans would prefer Bochy to be the one to have a happy birthday.

The Giants face a lefty for the sixth time this season and have gone 3-2 so far including a victory over Maholm in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago. That previous game against the Giants was Maholm’s only start this season.

Ryan Vogelsong did not make it past the 5th inning in either of his previous two starts this season. The Giants gave Vogelsong 8 runs of support against the Dodgers on April 4th, but he was pulled in the top of the 5th inning after allowing 4 of them back.

The speedy Dee Gordon leads off for the Dodgers tonight. He leads the National League with 10 stolen bases. Juan Uribe leads the NL in doubles with eight.

Angel Pagan has 8 multi-hit games already this season. That ties him with 2 others for the most in the NL. Michael Morse has driven in a run once every 4.2 at bats. He homered off Maholm back in LA earlier this season.

The Giants bullpen has a combined 1.89 ERA in 47.2 innings of work. It’s the second lowest in the NL behind Milwaukee. We’ll see if Vogelsong can put enough innings together to give that bunch a break.