Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

(Sports Network) - Greg Maddux hopes to continue the San Diego Padres' recent home mastery of the San Francisco Giants this evening, when the National League West rivals play the first of two games at Petco Park.

San Diego won eight of its nine matchups against San Francisco at home last season, including victories in the last seven. The Padres also won 14 of the 18 overall meetings between the clubs, but lost two of three to the Giants at AT&T Park earlier in the season.

Maddux recorded San Diego's lone win in that series, holding the Giants to a run and three hits in seven innings on April 7. He has been tremendous against the Giants over the course of his Hall of Fame career, posting a 29-14 record against them with a 2.86 ERA in 50 starts, including a 6-0 mark over his last 10 encounters with San Francisco.

The 42-year-old right-hander suffered his first loss of the season Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who pounded Maddux for nine runs and 13 hits in seven innings. That dropped him to 2-1 on the season and ballooned his earned run average more than two runs to 4.68.

A win tonight, though, would make Maddux only the ninth pitcher in major league history with 350 for his career. It would also pull him within four of Roger Clemens for eighth place on the all-time wins list.

Maddux, like he was back on April 7, will be opposed tonight by 23-year-old right-hander Matt Cain, who is still searching for his first win of the season. Cain fell to 0-2 on the year Friday against St. Louis, as he allowed nine runs and eight hits in just 3 2/3 innings to raise his ERA to 6.64.

Cain lost to the Padres earlier in the year and is 3-4 lifetime against them with a 2.41 ERA in 12 starts.

The Giants enter tonight's series opener on a sour note after dropping a 5-4 decision to the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday at Chase Field. Fred Lewis finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored while Bengie Molina added three hits for the Giants, who have dropped two straight and five of their last seven outings overall.

Barry Zito (0-5) surrendered five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings to absorb the loss. Keiichi Yabu, Vinnie Chulk and Tyler Walker combined to toss 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for San Francisco.

The Padres also lost on Tuesday, falling 11-7 to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Jake Peavy yielded four runs on seven hits in six innings for San Diego, which has dropped six of its last seven contests. Heath Bell (0-2), though, allowed four runs in the eighth inning to absorb the loss.

Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 -- falling a single shy of the cycle -- with three RBI and two runs scored for San Diego. Paul McAnulty had two hits and drove in two runs in defeat.