San Diego @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2015 ) San Diego 0, San Francisco 8

Matt Duffy likely will come up short in the National League Rookie of the Year race, but the third baseman has proven to be a valuable constant for the injury-plagued San Francisco Giants. Duffy is expected to play in his 99th consecutive game Sunday as the Giants aim for a three-game sweep of the visiting San Diego Padres, who have lost seven of their last nine.

Duffy, who is hitting .297 with 10 home runs and 68 RBI, figures to finish behind Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs for Rookie of the Year honors but should place high in the voting. “He’s had a great year,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “He’s going against Bryant, who’s really having a big year, too, but he’s got to be in the mix.” The Padres were expected to start rookie Colin Rea in Sunday’s series finale, but he was scratched late Saturday with elbow and forearm soreness. Odrisamer Despaigne will get the nod for the Padres, who have lost six of their eight games at AT&T Park this season.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Odrisamer Despaigne (5-8, 5.65 ERA) vs. Giants RH Mike Leake (9-8, 3.70)

Rea could return before the end of the season but only as a reliever, which means Despaigne could earn a few more starts with a solid outing Sunday. The 28-year-old has posted a 5.25 ERA in 17 starts this season compared to a 7.33 mark in 14 relief appearances. Despaigne is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in four games (two starts) against the Giants this year, including two innings of relief in Friday’s series opener, when he allowed four runs while throwing 46 pitches.

Leake looks to bounce back from a rough outing against Arizona on Monday, when he allowed six runs and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old, who missed 18 games with a strained left hamstring last month, has gone 0-3 with a 4.45 ERA in five starts since being acquired from Cincinnati on July 30. Justin Upton is 6-for-14 with a home run against Leake, who is 0-2 with a 3.07 ERA in five career starts versus San Diego.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants have scored at least six runs in five of their last seven contests.

2. San Diego is 56-0 when leading after eight innings.

3. San Francisco has won 18 of its last 23 home games.

PREDICTION: Giants 7, Padres 3