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Padres target seventh straight win over Giants

Sep 15, 2007 - 2:52 PM San Francisco (66-81) at San Diego (79-67) 10:05 pm EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - The San Diego Padres used some late heroics against the San Francisco Giants to pull out a much-needed win, keeping their lead in the National League wild card race.

On Saturday, the two division rivals continue a three-game set as the Padres aim to strengthen their bid on a postseason berth.

Trailing, 4-2, in the bottom of the ninth of Friday's series opener, San Diego plated two runs to tie the contest and eventually pulled out a 5-4 win when Khalil Greene hit a home run in the next inning.

The Padres are holding a slim 1 1/2-game lead in the NL wild card over the Philadelphia Phillies (78-69) and the Los Angeles Angeles (78-69). They also moved to within three games of the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks (83-65).

The Padres will turn to Brett Tomko (2-11, 5.70 ERA), who will make his first start since joining the Padres on September 4. In three relief appearances with San Diego, he has permitted two runs and five hits over five frames.

In 12 career starts and four relief appearances, the righthander is 4-5 with a 4.96 ERA against the Giants.

The Giants will counter with Matt Cain (7-14, 3.78 ERA), who will be looking to avoid a three-game winless streak. The Giants rallied for three runs late after he departed following seven innings in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Dodgers.

Cain allowed two solo homers and six hits in the no-decision. However, the righthander has been strong against the Padres in his nine career starts, going 3-2 and holding them to a .158 batting average over 61 innings and a 2.07 ERA.