Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
MLB Scores Matchups Teams Standings
 
 · Regular Season
Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Preview: Braves (23-18) at Giants (24-18)
Analysis  ·  BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Game: 4
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 26, 2012 8:05 PM EDT
  

Their NL West rivals just made a major move. The San Francisco Giants' best counter now would be to get back into the win column.

Tim Lincecum will try to avoid his second three-start home losing streak this season Sunday night when the division-leading Giants and Atlanta Braves conclude their season series.

While the biggest headline made by the Giants (71-56) recently has been Melky Cabrera's 50-game drug suspension - and subsequent failed cover-up - the Los Angeles Dodgers made a huge splash Saturday by acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto in a blockbuster deal with Boston that could have major implications on the division race.

Advertisement

The Giants have a two-game lead in the West after losing to Atlanta 7-3 on Saturday before Gonzalez homered in helping the Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 later that night.

"I don't think you react to a move another club makes - you do what's right for your club," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said prior to his team's five-game winning streak ending.

In years past, giving the ball to Lincecum (7-13, 5.30 ERA) would be the right move for the Giants, but this has been a trying season for the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The right-hander won his third consecutive road start Tuesday by throwing 5 2-3 strong innings in a 4-1 victory over the Dodgers, but he has a 5.73 ERA while losing both of his August starts at AT&T Park.

"You can't change anything that happened. You can just make better pitches now,' Lincecum said of finishing the season strong. "Just moving forward one batter at a time. I know it's cliched, but when I break it down small like that it relieves pressure on me.'

Facing the Braves (72-55) might not be the best relief for Lincecum, who has lost his last three starts in this matchup.

While the Giants try to keep a cushion atop the West, Atlanta has a 2 1/2-game advantage over St. Louis for the first wild-card spot.

Sunday's starter Tim Hudson (12-4, 3.69 ERA) would like to help the Braves stay in that spot as he seeks a seventh straight win, but he needs to come out stronger. Of the 59 runs he's allowed, 20 have come in the first inning after he surrendered four in the opening frame of Monday's 5-4, 13-inning loss at NL East-leading Washington.

The Braves had won the right-hander's previous eight starts.

Hudson improved to 5-0 with a 2.61 ERA in his last eight starts in this matchup after going 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 home win over the Giants on July 19.

Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who is retiring after the season, is expected to be in the lineup after getting Saturday off. It will be his final career game versus San Francisco.

The Giants probably wish right fielder Jason Heyward was making his last visit after he homered for the second straight game Saturday - a three-run shot. Heyward is batting .394 (13 for 33) with five homers and 11 RBIs in nine games at San Francisco.

"The crowd always keeps you on your toes here and it's a good environment to play in,' Heyward said. "They're always here, it's a good team and they have good pitching, so you have to focus every at-bat.'

He's 3 for 9 with a double off Lincecum.

Giants center fielder Angel Pagan, who had his eight-game hitting streak snapped Saturday, is 11 for 31 with a homer against Hudson.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Braves at Giants
Thu, Aug 23 Final 2 to 5
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 2
Braves at Giants
Fri, Aug 24 Final 3 to 5
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 3
Braves at Giants
Sat, Aug 25 Final 7 to 3
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 4
Braves at Giants
Sun, Aug 26 Final 7 to 1
 Boxscores  •  Recaps

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 ATL  -106   -225   7 
 SFO  -104   +185   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 ATL  -103   -230   7 
 SFO  -107   +190   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 ATL  62%   23%   58% 
 SFO  38%   77%   42% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 MLB HEAD TO HEAD
 Aug 25, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  ATL « 7 Cover: +150 
  SFO 3 Over: 10 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Aug 24, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  ATL 3 Over: 8 
  SFO « 5 Cover: +100 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Aug 23, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  ATL 2 Under: 7 
  SFO « 5 Cover: +122 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jul 19, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  SFO 2 Under: 5 
  ATL « 3 Cover: +100 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jul 18, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  SFO « 9 Cover: +110 
  ATL 4 Over: 13 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jul 17, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  SFO « 9 Cover: +138 
  ATL 0 Over: 9 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Apr 22, 2011  Score  ATS Results 
  ATL « 4 Cover: +100 
  SFO 1 Under: 5 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps

 MLB PREVIEWS
 Sunday, Aug 26
 
  •  Angels at Tigers
1:05 PM EDT
  •  Yankees at Indians
1:05 PM EDT
  •  Astros at Mets
1:10 PM EDT
  •  Cardinals at Reds
1:10 PM EDT
  •  Blue Jays at Orioles
1:35 PM EDT
  •  Royals at Red Sox
1:35 PM EDT
  •  Nationals at Phillies
1:35 PM EDT
  •  Brewers at Pirates
1:35 PM EDT
  •  Mariners at White Sox
2:10 PM EDT
  •  Rockies at Cubs
2:20 PM EDT
  •  Twins at Rangers
3:05 PM EDT
  •  Marlins at Dodgers
4:10 PM EDT
  •  Padres at Diamondbacks
4:10 PM EDT
  •  Braves at Giants
8:05 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.