San Diego @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 30, 2014 ) San Diego 2, San Francisco 3

San Diego Padres general manager Josh Byrnes was relieved of his duties Sunday in large part due to his team’s poor performance – a trend the San Francisco Giants could relate to over the past two weeks. The Giants, who host San Diego in the first of three games at home starting on Monday, have sat in sole possession of first place in the National League West since May 8. However, their once-formidable 9 ½-game lead has dropped to four over the Los Angeles Dodgers during a 3-9 stretch.

Two of the wins during that span came over the weekend against the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Giants’ recent struggles pale in comparison to those of the Padres, who fired Byrnes prior to Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Dodgers. San Diego has scored fewer than two runs nine times in 20 June games and ranks last in the majors by a wide margin in several offensive categories, including runs (225) and batting average (.214). The Padres, who are 3-3 against the Giants this season, scratched scheduled starter Andrew Cashner and Odrisamer Despaigne will make his major-league debut.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Odrisamer Despaigne (NR) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (1-5, 4.52)

San Diego announced late Sunday night that Cashner was scratched, opening up a spot for Despaigne. The 27-year-old Cuban has struggled at Triple-A El Paso, going 1-3 with a 7.61 ERA in five starts while allowing hitters to bat .356 after posting a 1.17 ERA in two outings at Double-A San Antonio. The Padres signed Despaigne to a minor-league contract in May after he posted a 61-43 record with a 3.55 ERA in eight seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional.

Winless since May 15, Cain endured his worst start of the season in Tuesday’s 8-2 setback against the Chicago White Sox, failing to pitch more than five innings for the third time in four tries. The three-time All-Star was pounded for a season-high eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and has surrendered 11 earned runs on 13 hits over his last 10 innings. Cain took the loss versus the Padres on April 18 despite giving up only an unearned run over seven frames, falling to 7-12 despite a 3.04 ERA in 32 all-time starts against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants 2B Joe Panik, one of the organization’s top prospects, collected his first two major-league hits - including an RBI double – in his first career start.

2. San Diego has scored three or fewer runs in five of its six games against San Francisco.

3. Cain’s 12 career losses against the Padres are his most against any opponent.

PREDICTION: Giants 5, Padres 3