San Diego @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2011 ) San Diego 3, San Francisco 8

THE STORY: The San Francisco Giants take another swing at making up ground on the Arizona Diamondbacks when they host the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. San Francisco defeated San Diego in Monday’s series opener but Arizona beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to remain 8 1/2 games ahead of the Giants in the National League West. Time is running out for the Giants to make a late charge as Arizona’s magic number to clinch the division is seven. Three of San Francisco’s last four victories have come against San Diego, which has lost eight of 11 games in September.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, Ch4 (San Diego), CSCA (San Francisco).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Cory Luebke (5-9, 3.28 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (11-10, 2.84 ERA)

Luebke has lost three consecutive starts and has allowed 10 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings during the stretch. He pitched well in his last outing when he gave up two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings and matched his career-high with nine strikeouts. Both hits off Luebke were homers. He is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in three appearances (two starts) against the Giants.

Cain lost to the Padres last Wednesday despite giving up just two runs and four hits over seven innings. The loss dropped his career mark against San Diego to 5-11 even though he has a tidy 3.47 ERA in 27 career starts against the Padres. Cain is 0-2 with a 3.67 ERA in four starts this season against San Diego. Cain has allowed just nine homers in 203 innings. He gave up 22 last season. Cameron Maybin is 5-for-13 against Cain.

ABOUT THE GIANTS (77-70): San Francisco has scored eight runs in each of the past two games after totaling just two runs over the previous three contests. The Giants had three homers in a home game for the first time all season on Monday as Carlos Beltran, Cody Ross and Pablo Sandoval all went deep. Beltran’s homer was just his third in 29 games with the Giants. Beltran has 298 career homers. Ross had three hits and scored three times and Sandoval’s three-run homer extended his hitting streak to seven games. Closer Brian Wilson (elbow) threw a bullpen session Monday and still hopes to pitch again this season. Wilson has 35 saves.

ABOUT THE PADRES (63-85): Nick Hundley wouldn’t find himself batting clean-up in many major-league lineups but that’s where he ended up Monday for the seventh time this season. Hundley had three hits and has gone 9-for-16 over his last four games. He has struggled against Cain with one just one hit in 12 career at-bats. Chris Denorfia also had three hits in Monday’s loss. Orlando Hudson had a run-scoring single for his first hit since August 30. Outfielder Will Venable missed his second straight game with shoulder soreness but should be available to pinch-hit Tuesday if he still can’t play in the field.

FINAL PITCH: Giants reliever Sergio Romo retired all five batters he faced Monday and hasn’t allowed a run in his last 22 appearances. Romo has a 1.50 ERA in 42 innings.