San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2015 ) San Diego 8, San Francisco 13

San Francisco's Buster Posey didn't let the All-Star break slow him down and he'll try to stay hot when the Giants visit the San Diego Padres on Monday in the opener of a three-game series. Posey went 5-for-12 with five RBIs during San Francisco's three-game sweep in Arizona over the weekend after going 8-for-13 in a three-game sweep over Philadelphia, but was 0-for-2 in the National League's 6-3 loss in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

Posey has a good chance to continue his run as he is a .338 hitter with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 36 games at Petco Park, where San Francisco lost three of four in April before evening the season series 5-5 with a pair of series victories at AT&T Park. The Giants, who have won six straight, are 3 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and trail the Chicago Cubs by one for the final wild-card spot. San Diego won its first two games after the break over Colorado before Sunday's game was postponed - its first rainout at home since 2006. The Padres on Monday may be without All-Star Justin Upton, the subject of trade rumors who left Sunday's game with a sore left oblique.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Hudson (5-7, 4.68 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ian Kennedy (4-9, 4.91)

Hudson went on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder after allowing five runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings of an 8-6 loss in Colorado on June 26. The Georgia native, who turned 40 on July 14, is 2-1 with a 5.35 ERA and .300 batting average against in six road starts this season. Alexi Amarista is 7-for-17 with six RBIs and Matt Kemp is 8-for-24 with a home run against Hudson, who is 7-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) versus San Diego.

The Padres scored a combined four runs in Kennedy's last four starts (all losses), erupting for three in a 4-3 setback in Texas on July 10 when Kennedy permitted four runs (three earned) and two homers in 4 1/3 innings. The 30-year-old Californian has allowed three or fewer earned runs in his last eight turns, going 2-4 with a 2.98 ERA during that span. Brandon Belt is 10-for-31 with two home runs and 12 strikeouts against Kennedy, who is 10-5 with a 2.38 ERA in 23 starts versus San Francisco.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco relievers allowed one run in 13 2/3 innings in the Arizona series.

2. San Diego is 23-21 versus the National League West and 20-28 against all other teams.

3. Giants C Andrew Susac on Sunday was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right thumb.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Giants 2