San Diego @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2013 ) San Diego 2, Tampa Bay 4

Two teams looking forward to next season meet in an interleague matchup Monday when the San Diego Padres visit the Tampa Bay Rays for the opener of a three-game set. The Rays begin a 10-game homestand after losing four of the last six on the road and San Diego is 2-4 heading into the last leg of a road trip, following a 5-1 defeat against the New York Mets on Sunday.

Tampa Bay will host the Padres for the fifth time in six all-time series between the two clubs and has won nine of 15 games overall, including four straight. The Rays pounded out 15 hits in a 12-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday as Evan Longoria finished the series 7-for-11 with a home run and six RBIs. Newly-acquired Matt Duffy makes his home debut after starting his Tampa Bay career by going 4-for-13 and San Diego All-Star Wil Myers will meet his former team for the first time. Myers, who boasts 23 homers this season but is 4-for-22 on the road trip, played 175 games with the Rays in 2013-2014 and batted .258 with 19 blasts.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Luis Perdomo (5-6, 6.80 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (4-11, 5.04)

Perdomo has dropped two straight starts while allowing nine runs (eight earned), 19 hits and seven walks over 11 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native won his previous two starts against two teams in playoff position – Toronto and Washington – on the road. Duffy (0-for-1) is the only Tampa Bay player to face Perdomo, who meets the Rays for the first time.

Smyly has strung together four solid starts, winning two and permitting seven runs total over 25 innings with 19 strikeouts and six walks. The Arkansas native boasts 130 strikeouts in 130 1/3 innings this season, but has surrendered 23 homers – two in the last four games. Alexei Ramirez is 3-for-10 versus Smyly, who is 1-3 with a 4.62 ERA in interleague play – none against the Padres.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rays, who are 7-10 in interleague play, need a three-game sweep to avoid finishing under .500 against the National League for the first time since 2010.

2. San Diego 3B Yangervis Solarte has reached 50 RBIs for the second time in his three-year career that started in the American League with the Yankees.

3. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier is 7-for-22 with three doubles during a five-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Padres 3