07/13 Padres Preview: Game 95 vs. Giants

Coming into this series, the Padres and Giants seemed to be on relatively equal footing in terms of performance. But you wouldn't believe that after watching the first two games. The Giants once again look like the championship team of 2012 and the Padres look like... well, the Padres of 2012. They've lost 17 of their last 20 games and have fallen to a season-high 12 games under .500 while once again dropping down to the NL West cellar.

Tonight Edinson Volquez will take the mound for San Diego and try to prevent the longest losing streak against the division rival in nearly seven years. Volquez has struggled all season and is coming off two home losses. in which he gave up nine runs and issued 11 walks in 11 total innings. He's 1-4 with a 5.56 ERA in his last six starts overall with only one quality start during that stretch. He is 2-1 all-time against the Giants with a 5.05 ERA, but got no-decision in both previous starts against them this season, both at AT&T Park. He threw a combined 11 innings while giving up five runs.

Pitching opposite Volquez will be Tim Lincecum, who hasn't won on the road since the season opener on April 3rd. In his eight road starts since then, he has gone 0-6 with a 5.82 ERA, including a loss to the Padres at Petco Park on April 26th. He only allowed two runs and struck out nine in seven innings of work that outing, but only got one run of support from his offense and was tagged with the loss. Historically, Lincecum has been dominant against San Diego, going a lifetime 11-6 with a 2.34 ERA. He is also coming off one of his better starts of the season, though it ended in another loss. He tossed seven innings, gave up three runs, and collected a season-high 11 strikeouts against the Mets.