The San Francisco Giants have gotten off to an excellent start to the 2013 season after winning the World Series and the team will look to continue that as Tim Lincecum looks to stay undefeated while pitching at Wrigley Field as the Giants take on the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon.
The Cubs will start Edwin Jackson, while Lincecum will look for his second win of the season at a place he is comfortable pitching. At Wrigley the former Cy Young winner has three wins and a sub-2.00 ERA and has 40 strikeouts in five starts, making it one of his best road stadiums. He did not get a decision in his last start and he has struggled a bit with his control, walking 11 batters over the past 11 innings, including three against the Rockies in a 9-6 win on Tuesday.
Angel Pagan will likely be in the lineup for the Giants, while the Cubs will start Dioner Navarro at catcher after Wellington Castillo struck out twice in an 0 for four day on Saturday in the 3-2 loss. Navarro hit a home run in last Saturday's game after starting and he also has two pinch hit home runs over the past two games, including a dinger in the 4-3 win on Friday, which he hit off Sergio Romo.
Romo had a save in Thursday's game and will likely get the chance to close out the game on Sunday if it goes that way. Reigning MVP Buster Posey has been in a slump in the series and has been held without a hit while getting on base by getting hit by a pitch in each of the past two games. Pablo Sandoval has a good history against Jackson with a home run, while Marco Scutaro has hit two. Starlin Castro has been hot for the Cubs, while Castillo is leading the team in hitting.
The Cubs are just 4-7 early in the season and are ranked 25th in runs and 26th in batting average with a .220 clip. The team is ranked 29th in on base percentage and 25th in slugging percentage with .364 percent. The Giants are 8-4 in the NL West and are ranked 11th in runs with 51 while eighth in batting average. The team is ranked 11th in on base percentage and 24th in slugging percentage.