Have the Giants broken the two-year spell the St. Louis Cardinals held over them? Their three-game series beginning Friday should answer that question.
The Cardinals dominated the Giants in 2005, winning four of six games, and fared even better against them last season, finishing 4-1 against San Francisco. That included a two-game September sweep at Busch Stadium that extinguished the Giants' flickering postseason hopes. The aggregate score in that series was 20-5, St. Louis.
But the Giants recovered this season, sweeping a two-game set April 18-19 at AT&T Park. That launched San Francisco's season-high eight-game winning streak that continued against Arizona and Los Angeles.
Rich Aurilia, a key figure in that April series against St. Louis, appears primed to resume his success, having gone 5-for-9 in his first two games back from the disabled list. Aurilia drove in the winning run in the 12th inning of the April 18 game and added two RBIs the next day.
Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Noah Lowry (8-6, 3.46 ERA)
Lowry's 7-1 with a 2.45 ERA at home but 1-5, 4.66 on the road. In his most recent start, he went 6 2/3 innings and allowed one run to beat Arizona last Saturday. On April 19 this season against St. Louis, Lowry earned the win with a two-run, seven-inning performance.
Barry Bonds' homer total: 751
Last homer:
off Reds RHP Aaron Harang 7/3
Last game:
1-for-4 at Reds 7/5
R, K
Next game:
at Cardinals (Mike Maroth) 7/6
Bonds vs. LHP Maroth:
.500 (1-for-2), RBI, BB
Bonds barometer:
Bonds said he could play the entire three-game series at St. Louis before the All-Star break.
Complete coverage >
STL: LHP Mike Maroth (5-2, 5.08 ERA)
Maroth's third start in a Cardinals uniform will be his first at home. The Giants may be a tough match for him, though. Several San Francisco hitters have hit him well, including Bengie Molina (.462, 6-for-13), Randy Winn (.400, 4-for-10) and Ray Durham (.385, 5-for-13).
Player to watch
Barry Bonds is batting .429 (12-for-28) during a 10-game hitting streak. He's 1-for-2 with a single and walk against Maroth.