San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2015 ) San Diego 3, San Francisco 10

The San Francisco Giants are mathematically alive for a postseason berth and it might stay that way a little longer as they visit the San Diego Padres on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series. San Francisco has won five straight versus San Diego after taking the final two contests of a three-game series at Petco Park in July and sweeping a three-game set earlier this month at home while outscoring the Padres 43-8 during the streak.

It is a bleak situation, though, for the Giants, who are seven games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and 9 1/2 back of the Chicago Cubs for the final wild card spot through Sunday's games. San Francisco catcher Buster Posey has recorded 10 RBIs in his last seven contests and has 93 this season as he bids to reach 100 for the second time in his career, and is hitting .327 - third in the NL. San Diego kicks off a nine-game homestand after a 3-6 road trip began with three losses to the Giants while right fielder Matt Kemp is two RBIs shy of recording 100 for the third time. San Francisco's Chris Heston is winless in his last eight starts (0-5) and opposes Tyson Ross, who is 0-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his last three turns.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Chris Heston (11-10, 3.61 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (10-10, 3.18)

Heston received a no-decision after allowing three runs, three hits and four walks while striking out eight in five innings of San Francisco's 9-8 loss to Cincinnati on Sept. 15. The 27-year-old Floridian won his first two starts coming out of the All-Star break - including one over San Diego - before posting a 5.12 ERA during his slide. Heston is 2-1 with a 3.26 ERA in three starts covering 19 1/3 innings versus the Padres this season.

Ross settled for a no-decision after permitting one run and four hits while matching a season high with nine strikeouts in six innings of San Diego's 6-4 loss in Arizona on Sept. 15. The 28-year-old Californian's last victory came Aug. 31, when he yielded three hits and fanned seven in seven innings of a 7-0 victory over Texas. Ross is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in nine games (seven starts) against the Giants - 1-1, 3.46 in two turns early this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Ross has 194 strikeouts - one shy of his career high - and needs six to reach 200, which would mark the first time in Padres history two pitchers reached that plateau in the same season. James Shields went over 200 on Sunday.

2. San Francisco has tied a major league record with five pitchers homering in the same season - Madison Bumgarner five; Mike Leake (one with the Giants), Tim Hudson, Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong (one apiece) - and its total of nine is the most since the 1934 staff belted 10.

3. San Diego is 58-0 when leading after eight innings this season.

PREDICTION: Giants 3, Padres 2