Giants seek fresh start as second half begins

SAN FRANCISCO >> Tim Lincecum’s no-hitter last weekend at San Diego provided a rare first-half highlight for the stumbling San Francisco Giants. The coaching staff received a short reprieve from all the problems facing the club as the National League All-Star staff in New York.

Now, the defending World Series champions must get back to work in a hurry if they want to hang around in an NL West that is still wide open. The first-place Arizona Diamondbacks are in town for a three-game series starting Friday night to kick off the second half.

At 50-45, Arizona leads the fourth-place Giants (43-51) by 6½ games — so this series will be important for both clubs. Arizona will look to separate, while San Francisco hopes to gain ground in a tight division.