San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2016 ) San Diego 9, San Francisco 13

The San Francisco Giants are beginning to dominate on the mound and have their ace going Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Padres in San Diego. Madison Bumgarner gets the nod for the Giants, who hope to continue an impressive 10-game run in which their rotation posted a 1.90 ERA.

Matt Cain delivered the latest gem with seven innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 victory at Arizona on Sunday, which extended San Francisco's season-high winning streak to five games. "An incredible job by our pitching staff," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters after Sunday's win, one he helped to end with a successful challenge that resulted in a game-ending double play. San Francisco's 15-8 surge includes a three-game sweep of the Padres at home late last month, a set that began with a Bumgarner win. Despite a laundry list of injuries that includes first baseman Wil Myers - a late scratch Sunday because of a tight forearm - San Diego has recovered to win a respectable 10 of 17 games, although it dropped the finale of a four-game set in Milwaukee on Sunday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (4-2, 2.72 ERA) vs. Padres RH Colin Rea (3-1, 4.24)

Bumgarner averages what would be a career-high 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and fanned nine in 6 2/3 frames against the Padres last month. That outing is one of five straight in which he has allowed two earned runs or fewer, including another 6 2/3 innings on one-run ball in a no-decision against Toronto his last time out. The 26-year-old is 9-5 with a 3.26 ERA in his career against San Diego but 3-0, 1.69 over the last five meetings.

Rea was reached for four runs in five innings at the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday but is 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA over his last three starts. He boasts the same numbers in four games (three starts) at home this season, including eight dominant frames in a win over the New York Mets in his last Petco Park appearance May 5. The Indiana State product has never faced the Giants.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants are 8-5 in one-run games while the Padres are 5-9.

2. The teams have split 400 all-time meetings in San Diego.

3. San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt has reached safely in 23 straight games, one shy of his career high.

PREDICTION: Giants 4, Padres 3