That three-game sweep the Giants recorded against the Arizona Diamondbacks last weekend at AT&T Park was anything but one-sided.
This recollection should shield the Giants from overconfidence as they approach Friday night's series opener against the D-backs at Chase Field.
San Francisco mustered seven runs in the series, but prevailed on the strength of outstanding pitching by Russ Ortiz, Barry Zito, Matt Cain and the bullpen.
The Giants' 4-2 victory in the series opener was partly fueled by a pair of first-inning unearned runs. In the next game, a 2-1 decision, reliever Brad Hennessey stranded two runners in the eighth inning before closer Armando Benitez left the potential tying run on third base in the ninth. Cain sustained one of the best performances of his brief career in the finale, a three-hitter in a 2-1 triumph.
Zito and Cain will return to pitch in this series before Matt Morris, 4-3 in his career against Arizona, works the finale.
Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Barry Zito (2-2, 3.70 ERA)
Zito has pitched 13 1/3 scoreless innings during his two-game winning streak. Opponents have hit just .152 (7-for-46) against him in this stretch. His last back-to-back scoreless starts came July 13 and 18, 2002, the year he won the American League Cy Young Award with Oakland. Against Arizona, Zito is 2-1 with an 0.82 ERA in three career starts.
ARI: LHP Doug Davis (1-2, 3.27)
Davis had his best start of the year last Friday night against the Giants, but it didn't result in a win for him or the D-backs. Davis seemed destined to escape a bases-loaded jam in the first inning of that game when he got Pedro Feliz to pop up. But shortstop Stephen Drew and second baseman Orlando Hudson collided going for the ball, which fell as two runs scored. The Giants won, 4-2.
Player to watch
Who else? Barry Bonds went 5-for-10 with two home runs in last weekend's series against Arizona. He's a .314 lifetime hitter at Chase Field with 18 home runs in 188 at-bats.