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Giants-Padres Preview

Apr 19, 2010 - 2:48 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

San Francisco (8-3) at San Diego (5-6), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Matt Cain is still trying to recapture his superb success from the first half of last season. Facing the San Diego Padres might not be the ideal chance to do it, either.

Cain looks for just his third win in eight months Monday night when the San Francisco Giants open a three-game series at San Diego.

Cain (0-0, 4.26) went 12-2 with a 2.27 ERA in his first 20 starts last year, getting named to his first All-Star game. The right-hander, however, struggled through his final 13 outings, going 2-6 with a 3.84 ERA as the Giants (8-4) fell four games short of the NL wild card.

His rough stretch has extended into 2010, but he appeared to find a rhythm late in a Tuesday's 6-5 loss to Pittsburgh. Cain allowed three runs and five hits before retiring 11 batters in a row and exiting after the sixth inning while not getting a decision.

"I was happy with how I ended," Cain said. "Mechanically I was trying to find some things early and getting myself into trouble."

Cain will get a third chance at his first win of the season, but he has struggled against the Padres.

He's 1-6 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 starts against the NL West rivals, including 0-4 with a 3.28 ERA in six games at Petco Park while getting four total runs of support.

San Francisco also struggled at San Diego last season, losing seven of nine while hitting .213. Overall, the Giants lost 10 of 18 to the Padres in 2009.

The Giants enter this series after being held to a season-low four hits in Sunday's 2-1 defeat at the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco wasted a strong effort from Barry Zito, who gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings, as reliever Sergio Romo served up a two-run homer to Manny Ramirez in the eighth.

"There's no question this was a tough one, with the pitching effort we got," manager Bruce Bochy told the team's official website. "Just one mistake beat us."

San Diego is looking for a fourth consecutive victory after completing a sweep of Arizona by rallying with a five-run seventh to secure Sunday's 5-3 victory.

"That's one thing about this club, we're going to give it our all for nine innings," said left fielder Chase Headley, who had a two-run double in the seventh Sunday. "It can be a grind sometimes to start the game, but you're going to have to give us 27 outs. (Sunday) we were able to get one that we were behind in."

The Padres aren't expected to compete in the division, but Headley - a career .269 hitter - has been a big reason for their .500 start. He's hitting .375 with one homer, seven RBIs and 10 runs.

Clayton Richard (0-2, 4.38) will try to help San Diego to its longest winning streak since Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

The left-hander appeared to be cruising to his first victory of the season Wednesday, throwing five shutout innings before surrendering three runs and getting pulled with one out in the sixth en route to a 6-1 loss to Atlanta.

"Clayton threw the ball well," manager Bud Black told the team's official website. "I thought his stuff was crisp. I liked his tempo, the pace in between pitches and the way he attacks hitters."

Richard lost his only start against the Giants on Sept. 7, giving up six runs and eight hits, including two homers, in four innings of a 9-4 road defeat.