Giants' Alex Cobb aims for strong encore vs. Cardinals

The last time Giants right-hander Alex Cobb faced the St. Louis Cardinals, he threw a six-hit shutout on April 24 in San Francisco.

"It was one of the better pitching performances that we've seen in the last several years," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said after his team won that game 4-0.

The Giants hope to see more of the same from Cobb on Tuesday as the starts the middle game of a three-game series in St. Louis.

San Francisco won the series opener 4-3 on Monday night for its fifth victory in seven games.

Cobb (5-2, 3.01 ERA) struggled at Colorado in his most recent start, allowing four runs on eight hits over five innings in a game the Giants eventually lost 6-4 on Thursday. He struck out seven and walked one.

Cobb is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals. Nolan Arenado (3-for-6, double, homer) has had some success against him, but Willson Contreras, Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong are a combined 0-for-16 against him.

The Cardinals have lost eight of their past 10 games. They are 7-16 in one-run games this year, and their hitters are 9-for-73 (.123) with runners in scoring position over their past 13 games.

St. Louis will start Jack Flaherty (3-4, 4.15 ERA), who worked around five walks to pitch six scoreless innings in his latest start at Texas on Wednesday. He allowed three hits by the Rangers, struck out eight and stranded eight runners.

"When things heighten, you've got to manage the game," Flaherty said after the Cardinals won that game 1-0. "You've got to figure out what you need to do to do that. So things get heightened a little bit when runners get on, but I kind of did that to myself by walking guys. I've got to do a better job of that."

Flaherty has allowed just two runs in 18 1/3 innings over his past three starts. He has shaved 2.03 runs off his ERA since May 9.

"I'm just making pitches," he told Bally Sports Midwest. "Still running into times where I'm walking guys, three guys in the first (inning) the other day. (I) wasn't really giving up hits."

Flaherty is 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four career starts against the Giants, but he has not faced them since 2019.

The Cardinals had to adjust their bullpen against the Giants with late-inning specialist Ryan Helsley landing on the injured list due to a forearm strain. Jake Woodford returned from Triple-A Memphis on Monday to replace him.

The Giants also made a pitching move for the series, calling up Keaton Winn from Triple-A Sacramento to provide a fresh bullpen arm. Tristan Beck returned to Sacramento to make room for Winn, who is getting his first look in the big leagues.

"Keaton's been good," Kapler said. "He's been a good teammate. He's throwing his split in the zone. His fastball is working well. It's been more efficient of late. It's a good opportunity for Keaton to show us what he can do."