San Francisco @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2016 ) San Francisco 9, San Diego 6

The San Francisco Giants look to maintain their hold on a wild-card spot in the National League when they visit the San Diego Padres on Sunday. San Francisco is sporting an 82-73 record after registering a 9-6 triumph in 10 innings Saturday.

The Giants, who are even with the New York Mets for the two wild-card spots in the NL and sit a half-game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals, squandered a 6-0 lead before plating three runs in the top of the 10th — two on Denard Span's home run. San Diego won seven of its previous eight contests against San Francisco before falling Saturday. Despite dropping to 3-3 on their 10-game homestand, the Padres had several reasons to celebrate as Hunter Renfroe belted his first major league home run while Yangervis Solarte returned to the team and delivered a pinch-hit single in his first appearance since Sept. 14. Solarte, who had been away from the club since the death of his wife, received an impressive ovation from the crowd at Petco Park and is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday.

TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Ty Blach (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (3-3, 2.98)

Blach is expected to make his first major-league start in place of Johnny Cueto, who is suffering from a strained left groin. The 25-year-old Blach has worked six scoreless innings over a pair of relief appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento, including a three-frame effort at Colorado on Sept. 5 in his major league debut. He had a strong season at Sacramento this year, going 14-7 with three complete games, two shutouts and a 3.43 ERA while recording 113 strikeouts and only 38 walks over 162 2/3 innings in 26 games — all starts.

Richard's second career stint with San Diego continued to be a success Monday when he won his third straight decision after allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings against Arizona. The 33-year-old native of Indiana, who was signed two days after being released by the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 3, has given up only eight earned runs over 42 frames in seven starts after making a pair of relief appearances. Richard is 6-5 with a 3.94 ERA in 16 career games (13 starts) against the Giants, including a no-decision at San Francisco on Sept. 13 in which he yielded three runs on 11 hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants SS Brandon Crawford (dislocated left pinkie) could return to the lineup Sunday after missing four games.

2. Saturday's loss ensured San Diego would have a losing record at home (36-41).

3. San Francisco C Buster Posey is 8-for-20 (.400) with five RBIs against Richard in his career.

PREDICTION: Padres 6, Giants 4