Giants @ Diamondbacks

Who will WIN this matchup?

San Francisco Giants (52-30)

@ Arizona Diamondbacks (23-62)

Starting Pitchers:

DeSclafani (SF): 8-3; 2.91 ERA

Smith (ARI) 2-4; 3.08 ERA

Current odds:

San Francisco Giants: (-190)

Arizona Diamondbacks: (+170)

• The Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday looked as if they could put themselves in position to accomplish something that had eluded them for more than two months: the chance to win a series. The Diamondbacks last won a series April 29-May 2. And had they been able to hold on to a one-run lead in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants, a series win would have been in play on Sunday when the two teams meet again in Phoenix. Austin Slater’s two-run homer in the eighth off reliever Ryan Buchter powered the Giants to a 6-5 victory.

• Arizona, which was 2-24 in its previous 26 games before the series, will try for its second win over the Giants on Sunday in the four-game series. The Diamondbacks last split a four-game series on May 10-13 against the Miami Marlins in Phoenix.

• San Francisco, which is 8-1 against Arizona this season, withstood the Diamondbacks after it was unable to hold an early 4-0 lead and got down 5-4.

• Slater is an example for the Diamondbacks that no matter how bad things might seem, a breakthrough could happen. The Giants outfielder entered Saturday’s contest in a 0-for-14 spell with six strikeouts in his previous six games. His last extra-base hit was on May 30. Slater’s 463-foot blast in the eighth marked the longest home run hit by a Giants player this season. It topped the 460-foot shot by Slater in the eighth inning at Phoenix in a 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks on May 26.

• San Francisco persevered through making three errors, leaving 13 runners on base and squandering the four-run lead to improve to 22 games above .500 and the best record in the major leagues.

• The Giants maintained their half-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

• Brandon Crawford had a run-scoring triple Saturday for his 616th RBI to put him in ninth place of the Giants’ career list.

• San Francisco will start right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (8-3, 2.91 ERA) on Sunday against Arizona left-hander Caleb Smith (2-4, 3.08). DeSclafani is 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA in seven career starts against the Diamondbacks. He has walked only six batters and struck out 38 in 45 innings. Smith does not have a decision in two starts versus the Giants in his career. He has a 6.10 ERA in 10 1/3 innings against San Francisco.