San Diego @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 29, 2015 ) Seattle 5, San Diego 8

After a difficult finish to a recent road trip, Seattle has righted the ship at home. The Mariners seek their first four-game winning streak of the season when they continue a 10-game homestand Tuesday night with the first of two interleague contests against the San Diego Padres.

Losers of six of seven to end a 10-game excursion that ended last Wednesday, Seattle got some solid pitching in a big three-game weekend sweep of Oakland that pushed the Mariners from last to third in the American League West, capped by Sunday's 4-3 win. The Seattle bullpen allowed two runs in 12 innings against the Athletics and star second baseman Robinson Cano had an RBI in each game as he continues to show signs of breaking out. The Padres are 3-4 on a nine-game road trip after dropping the finale of a four-game set in Arizona on Sunday. The Mariners took two from San Diego at home last June before the Padres returned the favor with a pair of victories in southern California.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, ROOT SPORTS (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Ian Kennedy (2-1, 5.03 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (0-2, 5.08)

Kennedy had an ERA of 10.80 and a stint on the disabled list by the end of April, but he has turned things around this month with two solid starts. He followed up his first win of the season against Colorado on May 1 with another victory at San Francisco on Wednesday, yielding a run on six hits in seven innings. The 30-year-old has faced every team in the majors with the exception of Seattle.

Paxton also had a rough beginning to the season before hitting his stride near the end of April. He has given up two runs in seven innings in each of his last two starts but run support has been scarce and the Mariners lost both games. Paxton, who has given up 13 runs (10 earned) in 13 1/3 innings at home this year, is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA in three career interleague starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners OF Dustin Ackley has four RBIs in his last five games after going 18 consecutive contests without driving in a run.

2. Padres RF Matt Kemp is 3-for-30 over an eight-game swoon.

3. Of Seattle's 31 games, 28 have been decided by three runs or fewer.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Padres 4