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Giants aim to avoid sweep vs. Padres

Jun 25, 2014 - 2:44 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Francisco Giants hope to snap out of their funk and salvage the finale of a three-game series versus the San Diego Padres Wednesday at AT&T Park.

The Giants have lost two straight to the Padres and 11 of their last 14 games overall, including Tuesday's 7-2 setback behind another rough outing for veteran right-hander Tim Hudson. Hudson has dropped back-to-back starts and allowed six runs -- four earned -- in 5 2/3 innings.

Hudson entered the game with a 5-0 mark and a 2.16 ERA at AT&T Park and the Giants hadn't lost in his seven home outings until Tuesday.

"I think it's fair to say that (pitching) is our biggest issue right now," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "It's important to come out of this and our starting pitching is going to get us out of this."

Matt Cain was dealt the loss in Monday's series opener.

Buster Posey and Tyler Colvin each had an RBI for San Francisco, which has lost five in a row at home and now lead the NL West by just three games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Giants outfielder Angel Pagan (back) missed his eighth straight game and it's unknown when he'll return.

San Francisco will also host Cincinnati and St. Louis on this 10-game homestand and has been outscored, 13-2, against the Padres so far.

Tim Lincecum has alternated decisions in his last eight verdicts and gets the nod for the Giants Wednesday. Lincecum lost his last time out in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondback on Friday, as the two-time Cy Young Award winner yielded four runs in six innings.

Lincecum, who has given up 17 runs across his last four starts, is 5-5 with a 4.90 earned run average this season. The right-hander defeated San Diego on the road April 20, when he tossed six innings of three-run ball in a 4-3 win.

Lincecum, who is 3-2 in nine home starts, has a career mark of 14-6 to go along with a 2.47 ERA in 27 starts against the Padres. He was 3-1 in four starts against them last season.

San Diego looks to stay in command and has the brooms ready for the rival Giants Wednesday afternoon. The Padres have won five of their last seven games and rode Jesse Hahn to victory last night, as he spun six innings of two-run ball with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Tommy Medica homered and Alexi Amarista finished 3-for-4 with three RBI, helping the Padres secure their third series win on the road. They also snapped a 10 series winless streak in San Francisco.

"Alexi is getting a little crispy" said Padres manager Bud Black. "It helps that he's in there and getting at-bats. He's swinging the bat well. He is swinging aggressive, he's playing his game."

The Friars are 26-4 when scoring four or more runs this season.

After this series in the Bay Area, the Padres will return to Petco Park for nine straight games versus Arizona, Cincinnati and San Francisco.

The Padres will send Ian Kennedy to the bump Wednesday and the former All-Star is 5-8 with a 3.90 ERA. Kennedy is 0-2 in his last three starts after winning three in a row and did not factor in the outcome of a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday. He gave up five runs, four of which were earned, in five innings with five K's and two walks.

Kennedy, a right-hander, has been reached for 14 runs in his last four trips to the hill and is 3-3 in seven road assignments this season. He has made 17 career starts against the Giants, going 7-3 with a 2.49 ERA. Kennedy faced San Francisco four times in 2013 and went 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA.

San Diego is 5-3 against San Francisco this season.