San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 18, 2014 ) San Francisco 1, San Diego 2

The San Diego Padres have scored the fewest runs in the majors but can reach the .500 mark if they can defeat the visiting San Francisco Giants in Saturday’s second contest of a three-game set. San Diego has scored just 47 runs – one fewer than the Houston Astros – and has ridden strong pitching efforts to six victories in the last nine games. The Giants are tied for the first place in the National League West with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tyson Ross blanked San Francisco for eight innings in the opener before Brandon Belt homered off San Diego closer Huston Street for the Giants’ lone run in a 2-1 loss. It was the second straight contest in which San Francisco has scored just once, and the Giants have a total of 12 runs while splitting their last six games. The Padres may soon see help for their struggling offense as outfielder Carlos Quentin – the team’s clean-up hitter – is making progress from a knee injury and will head to Arizona for extended spring training next week.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Hudson (2-0, 2.35 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (0-2, 5.52)

Hudson has worked into the eighth inning in all three of his starts and has yet to walk a batter in 23 innings. He took a no-decision in his last start when he allowed four runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies. Hudson is 6-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 13 career appearances (12 starts) against the Padres with the lone defeat occurring last season when Hudson was with the Atlanta Braves.

Stults hasn’t made it through the sixth in any of his three outings and has allowed 21 hits and five walks in 14 2/3 innings. He received a no-decision against Colorado in his last start when he gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits in five innings. Stults is 6-4 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 career appearances (15 starts) against the Giants – including 2-2 last season – and has served up three homers to Homer Pence and two to Brandon Crawford.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants have played eight consecutive one-run games – going 4-4 during the stretch – to match the franchise mark set by the New York Giants in 1910.

2. Padres 3B Chase Headley, who has missed three straight starts with a biceps injury, is 2-for-16 against Hudson, and OF Seth Smith is hitless in eight career at-bats.

3. Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval is 12-for-22 against Stults and C Buster Posey is 7-for-15 with a homer.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Padres 4