Backed by a three run, first inning homerun by Benjie Molina and a dominating performance by Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, the San Francisco Giants beat the Cubs 6-2 to earn a split in the series and end Chicago’s four game winning streak. 

Lincecum struck out seven Cubs in seven innings, surrendering only four hits, two walks, and two runs in his fourth consecutive quality start.  It was also Lincecum’s third consecutive victory (3-1) after two shaky starts to begin the year.  Molina’s homer, his fifth on the season, provided enough runs to make a loser of starter Sean Marshall (0-2).   The Giants added three in the eighth with an two run double by Aaron Rowand and a run scoring single by Randy Winn for the final margin.

In the opener, the Cubs took advantage of wildness (six walks in four innings) by Giant starter Jonathan Sanchez (1-2) and Ryan Theriot hit his third homerun of the season en route to a 4-2 Chicago victory.   Ryan Dempster (2-1) pitched seven solid innings for the win and Kevin Gregg closed out the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

The Chicago Cubs will travel to Houston to take on the Astros on Wednesday night.  The San Francisco Giants go to Denver to face the Colorado Rockies with Randy Johnson scheduled to start Wednesday. 

All in all, not a horribly exciting series.  It was nice to see a split over a sweep, however.  This was the get away day to get away.   Horrible lineup.  Am a bit shocked they put up six.  At least it appears that the Cubs were also answering with a skeleton crew.  Lincecum’s still a stud and showed it again today.  Sanchez would have been good, if not for the walks.  With them, he was horribly vulnerable.  Very unfortunate.  He needs to get that under control.