San Francisco Giants

Giants' Suarez to make major-league debut against Diamondbacks (Apr 11, 2018)

Published Apr. 11, 2018 3:12 a.m. ET

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants will watch one of their prospects make his major-league debut for the second consecutive game Wednesday afternoon when they wrap up a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Left-hander Andrew Suarez will get the call for the Giants one day after righty Tyler Beede gave the team four solid innings in a 5-4 victory.

Suarez was summoned from Triple-A Sacramento to replace Johnny Cueto, who had to be scratched because of a sprained left ankle he suffered during a workout over the weekend. Cueto was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy noted that the fact his team is barely two weeks removed from spring training works in favor of his young starters.

"You know what? They were in major-league camp. They got a lot of work in," he said. "Sure, it's a little unusual for two guys to make their debuts. But they were in major-league camp competing for jobs, and here they are."

Starting pitchers making major-league debuts in back-to-back games has only happened once previously for the Giants since they moved west in 1958. That was when Bob Knepper and Frank Riccelli made consecutive starts in September of 1976.

Suarez started one game in Sacramento this season, pitching four shutout innings in which he allowed one hit and four walks. He struck out four.

He will be up against Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray, who has won his first two starts with a 5.73 ERA. The second start, when he allowed one run in six innings at St. Louis, was a lot better than the first, when he gave up seven runs (six earned) in five innings against Colorado.

Ray, a 15-game winner last season, is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA in four career starts in San Francisco, and 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA in eight starts overall against the Giants.

He has had Giants star Buster Posey's number in the past, limiting him to 3-for-17 (.176) with six strikeouts.

The Diamondbacks should have manager Torey Lovullo back for the series finale after he missed Tuesday's game on suspension for his involvement in an on-field dispute with Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina over the weekend.

Lovullo had the option of appealing the decision and possibly getting to manage all three games of the San Francisco series, but was convinced to accept the penalty after a talk with Major League Baseball executive Joe Torre.

"He said, 'There is zero chance this will get overturned,'" Lovullo reported. "I agree with it. I made some mistakes."

Lovullo missed a bit of a controversial finish in Tuesday's game, which ended on Andrew McCutchen's walk-off RBI single.

One inning earlier, with the score tied at 3-3, the Giants attempted a double steal, with McCutchen going for third and Buster Posey taking off for second.

Evan Longoria struck out on the pitch, and crossed over the front of home plate on his follow-through, right into the path of Diamondbacks catcher Alex Avila, who was throwing to second in an effort to get Posey.

The ball short-hopped Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, getting away far enough to allow McCutchen to streak home with the go-ahead run.

The Diamondbacks did not argue the play.

Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt set up McCutchen's hitting heroics with a two-out, game-tying home run in the top of the ninth.