San Diego @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2010 ) San Diego 4, San Francisco 2

Win and they're guaranteed at least one more game. Lose and they could be done for the season. This is the scenario facing the San Diego Padres.

The Padres attempt to complete a sweep and clinch at worst a tie for the National League West title today when they take on the division-leading San Francisco Giants in the finale of their three-game series at AT&T Park.

San Diego entered the weekend with a huge mountain to climb, trailing San Francisco by three games in the West and Atlanta by two for the NL wild card.

Things could not have turned out any better for the Padres over the last two days as they posted a pair of victories to pull within one of the Giants while the Braves dropped two to the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies, forging a tie for the wild-card berth.

Making just his seventh start of the year, Tim Stauffer limited San Francisco to one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings Saturday while his counterpart, Barry Zito, walked in a pair of runs in the opening frame as San Diego posted a 4-2 victory.

Juan Uribe hit a solo home run in the seventh and Pablo Sandoval had an RBI single in the ninth, but Heath Bell sealed the win by getting pinch-hitter Jose Guillen to ground into a game-ending double play.

With the victory, the Padres improved to 12-5 against the Giants this season and 7-1 at AT&T Park.

A win today would leave San Diego and San Francisco tied for first in the NL West. Should Atlanta defeat Philadelphia in the meantime, the Padres and Giants would meet in San Diego on Monday for the division title and the loser would travel to Atlanta to determine the wild-card winner on Tuesday.

If the Phillies top the Braves, however, the Padres would claim the NL West and the Giants the wild card as San Diego captured the season series. Losses by both the Padres and Braves would result in a one-game playoff in Atlanta on Monday for the wild card.

The final option is one San Diego hopes to avoid - lose today while Atlanta beats Philadelphia, which would send the Padres home for the winter. Mat Latos gets the chance to extend his club's season at least one more day.

Latos enters mired in his worst slump of the year. The rookie has lost each of his last four starts, including a 5-2 setback to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in which he yielded four runs - two earned - in 5 2/3 innings.

During the slide, Latos has allowed 18 earned runs over 16 innings for a 10.13 ERA.

The 22-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts against the Giants this year - and over his career. On Sept. 12, he was reached for five runs in four innings en route to a 6-1 loss.

Latos has made 18 road starts in 2010, going 9-5 with a 3.15 ERA.

Trying to help wrap up the division crown for San Francisco once and for all is Jonathan Sanchez, who has won four of his last five decisions. He yielded two runs and three hits over six innings for a 4-2 victory over Arizona on Tuesday.

In 11 starts and seven relief appearances against the Padres over his career, Sanchez is 2-5 with a 2.69 ERA. Despite posting a 2.59 ERA, the left-hander is 0-3 in five meetings with San Diego this year.

Sanchez last faced the Padres in San Diego on Sept. 10, when he allowed one hit over five innings but issued seven walks, settling for a no-decision in a 1-0 triumph.

The 27-year-old Sanchez is 7-4 with a 3.43 ERA in 17 games - one relief appearance - at home this season.