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(Sports Network) - The San Diego Padres are on their best winning surge of the season, but the improving squad figures to face a stern challenge in today's finale of a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants from AT&T Park.

San Diego has won five of its last six games, including a season-high three in a row, after cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Giants on Saturday. Josh Banks provided a huge lift for the Padres in his initial start of the season, as the rookie righty spun a six-hitter for his first career complete game.

Banks (2-0), recalled from Triple-A Portland last week to take the rotation spot of the injured Chris Young, yielded just one unearned run and struck out five without walking a batter. The 24-year-old has yet to allow an unearned run in 17 innings since being promoted.

The Padres gave their young pitcher some early support with a four-run first inning, highlighted by Adrian Gonzalez's two-RBI single. Justin Huber delivered a run-scoring double later in the frame.

Gonzalez added a solo homer later on for San Diego, which handed the Giants their seventh consecutive home loss. That's San Francisco's longest winless drought at AT&T Park since the stadium opened in 2000.

Patrick Misch (0-2) suffered the loss on Saturday after permitting five runs (4 earned) on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings.

San Francisco will turn to ace Tim Lincecum this afternoon in hopes of stopping its slide. The second-year hurler has put together a brilliant sophomore campaign thus far, which includes two dominating performances against the Padres.

Lincecum held San Diego to one run and seven hits over six innings at AT&T Park back on April 8, although the Giants bullpen blew a late lead to deny him a win. The hard-throwing righty got one on April 24, however, by striking out nine Padres and yielding just four hits in 6 1/3 shutout innings at Petco Park.

The 23-year-old is just 1-1 over four lifetime starts against the Padres, but has a stellar 1.40 earned run average in those games.

Lincecum, who currently ranks second in the NL in both ERA (2.33) and strikeouts (76), ran his overall record to 7-1 with 7 1/3 solid innings to defeat Arizona on Tuesday. He allowed three runs on six hits and struck out seven.

He'll be opposed this afternoon by veteran Randy Wolf, who aims for a third straight sharp outing.

Wolf halted a five-start winless streak by holding Cincinnati to two runs and four hits through seven innings on May 22, then followed up with six frames of two-run ball against Washington on Tuesday. The 31-year-old Californian did not receive a decision, however, in an eventual 4-2 Padres victory.

Both of those starts came in spacious Petco Park, however. On the road, Wolf is just 1-3 with a 5.97 ERA in six games this season.

Wolf went head-to-head with Lincecum in that April 8 encounter at AT&T Park and also did not factor in the decision, despite permitting just two runs in six innings. The left-hander is 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA over 11 career starts against the Giants.

San Francisco holds a slim 4-3 edge over the Padres in this year's season series, but San Diego won 14 of 18 clashes with the Giants in 2007. The Padres are 10-5 over their last 15 games at AT&T Park.