San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2014 ) San Francisco 2, San Diego 3

Failing to beat the San Diego Padres could prevent the San Francisco Giants from winning the National League West. San Francisco is just 6-8 against San Diego this season and looks to salvage the finale of a three-game set against the host Padres on Sunday. The sputtering Giants were shut out for the first 17 innings of this series and remain 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.

San Francisco is looking better on the wild-card part of the equation as it owns the top spot and third-place Milwaukee is 4 1/2 games back. The Giants have lost five of their last seven games while the Padres are surging with five victories in their last six games. San Diego has received two solid starting performances in the series with Odrisamer Despaigne tossing seven shutout innings Friday and Andrew Cashner taking a shutout into the ninth Saturday.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (8-11, 3.98 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ian Kennedy (11-13, 3.80)

Vogelsong is 0-2 in three September starts after losing to Arizona in his last turn. He gave up four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings two outings after being rocked for eight runs and 10 hits in five innings by Colorado. Vogelsong is 4-4 with a 5.63 ERA in 16 career appearances (eight starts) against the Padres.

Kennedy defeated Philadelphia in his last outing when he gave up three runs and three hits in six innings. He gave up two homers after allowing just two total over his previous eight starts. Kennedy is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA in 18 career starts against San Francisco.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants C Buster Posey is 14-for-33 against Kennedy, while OF Angel Pagan – who sat out with a back injury Saturday – is just 6-for-29.

2. San Diego OF Will Venable is 7-for-16 against Vogelsong, and OF Seth Smith is 4-for-11.

3. San Francisco RF Hunter Pence hit his 20th homer Saturday, but first since Sept. 1.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Giants 2