MLB: Lincecum still searching for consistency

In the box score, Tim Lincecum's pitching line looked just fine Sunday (Monday, PHL time). He gave up two earned runs in six innings. On the field, however, it wasn't so clean. He put on 11 baserunners, and the Giants lost 3-0 to the Braves in Atlanta.

He didn't get offensive or defensive support, but a loss is a loss is a loss, and Lincecum (4-7) has plenty. The right-hander has a 4.57 ERA.

With more than one of his rotation mates showing a lot of inconsistency and with Ryan Vogelsong on the disabled list, it would have been nice if Lincecum were more of his old self, but he hasn't been his old self for a long while.

His work Sunday (Monday, PHL time) was a microcosm of his season.

Or last two seasons.

Up and down. He gave up two runs on four hits and four walks in the first three innings, which took him 71 pitches. It didn't help that Andres Torres' mishaps in the outfield led to a run in the third, and things got worse when another Torres misplay helped Atlanta put up another run in the sixth.

Afterward, Lincecum received praise from manager Bruce Bochy, who said, "It says a lot about how he gutted it out. He kept us in the game." But it was another loss for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, and that's the bottom line. - Reuters