San Diego @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2012 ) San Francisco 8, San Diego 3

The San Diego Padres are playing their best baseball of the season and signed top offensive player Carlos Quentin to a three-year contract extension as they enter Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the first-place San Francisco Giants. San Diego has won seven of nine heading into the series against San Francisco, which leads the National League West by 1 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants also have won seven of nine.

Quentin agreed to a three-year extension worth $27 million Sunday in a rare hefty financial expenditure by the Padres. Quentin, a San Diego native in his first year with the club, has nine homers since coming off the disabled list in late May. The Giants lost to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday for only their second loss since the All-Star break. San Francisco has scored six or more runs in each of its last four victories. The Giants are an impressive 29-16 at home.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports San Diego, NBC Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (7-10, 3.86 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (7-4, 2.31)

Richard is 5-3 over his last eight starts and has been pitching deeper into games. He has worked seven innings or more six times during the stretch. Richard beat the Houston Astros in his last outing when he gave up four runs and nine hits in 8 1/3 innings. He is 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season, and has a 5-4 career mark and 3.64 ERA in 10 starts against San Francisco.

Vogelsong is winless in three July starts despite a nifty 2.70 ERA. He took a no-decision against the Atlanta Braves in his last outing despite giving up just one run and four hits in six innings. Vogelsong hasn’t faced the Padres this season. He has struggled against San Diego, going 0-2 with a 9.28 ERA in 21 1/3 career innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco OF Melky Cabrera is batting .378 during a nine-game hitting streak.

2. Padres SS Everth Cabrera went 7-for-11 in the three-game series against Colorado but has just a .164 mark in 22 career games against the Giants.

3. Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval is batting .300 with one homer in 20 career at-bats against Richard.