Cincinnati @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2013 ) San Diego 3, Cincinnati 7

Mike Leake, a high-school standout in San Diego County, pitches at Petco Park for the first time on Monday, when the Cincinnati Reds visit the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series. Leake grew up in Fallbrook, about 55 miles north of downtown San Diego, before pitching for Arizona State and becoming Cincinnati’s first-round pick in 2009. Padres starter Sean O’Sullivan also is a former San Diego prep standout.

San Diego has won five of seven games and jumped out of the National League West cellar, passing sinking San Francisco. Carlos Quentin drove in the lone run of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving him 13 RBIs over his last 10 games and 20 in the month of July. Cincinnati is 4-4 during an 11-game road trip after suffering its third straight loss, a 1-0 setback in 11 innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN (San Diego)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mike Leake (10-4, 2.73 ERA) vs. Padres RH Sean O’Sullivan (0-2, 4.73)

Leake has won three consecutive starts – despite giving up a career-high 12 hits but just one run in six-plus innings against San Francisco in his last turn – and five of his last six decisions. While he has allowed just six runs over his last three outings, four have come on solo homers. Leake’s lone career start against the Padres was an ineffective one, as he allowed five runs in 1 2/3 frames at Cincinnati last season.

O’Sullivan, who is making his third start for San Diego, allowed just two earned runs in each of the first two. He lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, when he gave up three runs (two earned) and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. O’Sullivan has surrendered 18 hits over 13 1/3 frames in three games this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 2B Brandon Phillips is 1-for-13 over his last four games and hasn’t homered since July 2. He is a career .204 hitter in 46 contests against the Padres.

2. San Diego 3B Chase Headley batted .316 on the team’s 10-game road trip that concluded Sunday.

3. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto is 9-for-24 with four multi-hit performances over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, Padres 3