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Giants would like Tim Lincecum available to start Game 4

Bruce Bochy is in must-win mode for Game 2, but he would prefer to hold off on using Tim Lincecum until Game 4.

Ezra Shaw - Getty Images

San Francisco Giants' coach Bruce Bochy will do whatever it takes to win Game 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, but he is aiming to hold off on using pitcher Tim Lincecum if possible so he can start Game 4, CSN Bay Area reports.

Ryan Vogelsong is starting Game 2 for the Giants and Matt Cain will start Game 3. After that it is up in the air, although the manager hinted he would like Lincecum to start Game 4 at St. Louis. But if the Giants get a poor start out of Vogelsong or Cain, Bochy hasn't ruled out calling Lincecum out of the bullpen for the second time in the series.

Lincecum pitched two innings of relief after Madison Bumgarner was pulled in 3.2 innings after giving up six runs in the 6-4 Game 1 loss. Lincecum said he would be available to pitch relief on Monday night if he needed to.

If Bochy uses Lincecum to pitch in Game 2, it is more likely that he would not pitch in Game 4 and that start would go to Barry Zito.