San Francisco, CA -- (Sports Network) - Tim Lincecum was brilliant for eight innings, and Aaron Rowand drove in three runs as San Francisco edged Atlanta, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Lincecum (12-3) surrendered just two runs on five hits while walking four and fanning eight for the Giants, who have won four of their past six games. Brian Wilson came on from there and earned his 32nd save of the year with a perfect ninth.

"He has a way to elevate his stuff when he has to and he did that," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Lincecum. "He's got that competitiveness that you like to see in a pitcher. He can pitch."

Rowand was 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and Randy Winn was 4-for-4 with two runs scored.

"He plays both sides of the ball so well," Bochy said of Winn. "It doesn't matter where you hit him, leadoff or third, he's so valuable. He runs well. He's got the whole game and he's swinging the bat well right now."

Brian McCann was 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Braves, who have lost four of their past six games.

Chuck James (2-5) allowed three runs on five hits in four innings en route to the loss.

The Giants jumped in front with a pair of runs in the opening inning. Winn singled to lead off the frame and, a batter later, Rowand cracked his 10th homer of the year over the wall in left.

San Francisco added a manufactured run in the third. Winn singled to left, was moved 90-feet when Ivan Ochoa got down a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a James balk before Rowand lofted a sac fly to right.

The Braves finally scratched out a run against Lincecum in the fifth. Pinch- hitter Ruben Gotay led off with a double and moved up a base on a sac bunt by Gregor Blanco. Yunel Escobar then made it a 3-1 game with a ground ball to short.

Atlanta climbed to within a run in the sixth when McCann opened the frame with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Mark Kotsay's one-out chopper to second.

The Braves managed only one baserunner over the final three innings.

Game Notes

Winn recorded his 1,500th career hit in the first inning...The Giants activated reliever Keiichi Yabu from the 15-day disabled list before the game and recalled pitcher Billy Sadler from Triple-A Fresno. Yabu was 3-4 with a 3.64 earned run average in 40 games with the Giants before being shelved on July 20 with a strained middle finger on his right hand. Sadler was 0-1 with a 4.94 ERA in a 19-game stint with the Giants earlier this year. To make room for both players, San Francisco optioned reliever Osiris Matos to Fresno and designated right-hander Sergio Romo for assignment...This series was the first between the Braves and Giants this season. Atlanta took four of seven meetings from San Francisco in 2007, with the squads splitting four encounters at AT&T Park.