(My Sportsbook) - Tennessee Titans veteran defense end Jevon Kearse earned the moniker 'The Freak' for his tremendous speed and physique while chasing down quarterbacks at the University of Florida.

San Francisco Giants ace and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum also goes by the same nickname, but it's certainly not for his size. The skinny 5-10, 170-pound Lincecum inherited the byname for his uncharacteristic delivery and strength at almost half the size of Kearse, lending support to the claim that sometimes big things come in small packages.

Whatever the reason the Giants are grateful to have Lincecum, who will make his ninth start of the season Thursday in the finale of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Lincecum is 3-0 over his last six starts with back-to-back no-decisions. He did not record a decision the last time out on May 15 versus the New York Mets, as he yielded five runs and a season-high tying 10 hits in six innings of an 8-6 setback. Lincecum has given up three or more runs in three of his last four starts.

Lincecum will get another shot at the rival Padres tonight after losing the first encounter back on April 12. In a 6-1 setback at Petco Park, the righty was reached for four runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 frames. In nine career starts against San Diego, Lincecum is 3-2 with a 1.45 earned run average.

'The Freak' will try to save his sinking ballclub, which has dropped the first two tests of this series and six of seven overall. In last night's 2-1 loss to the Friars, Emmanuel Burriss had the lone RBI and Randy Winn went 2-for-4 with a run scored in defeat. Aaron Rowand went 3-for-4 for the Giants, who got a subpar performance out of starter Jonathan Sanchez. He gave up just two runs on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks to take the loss.

San Francisco will also visit Seattle for three games on its road trip.

Meanwhile, the Padres will try to extend their winning streak to a season high six straight games when they close out this series Thursday. San Diego is riding its second five-game winning streak of the season after last night's victory, as Kevin Kouzmanoff homered and Chris Burke went 2-for-3 with a RBI double for the Padres. San Diego won five in a row from April 9-13.

Starting pitcher Chad Gaudin was solid in six innings of work, allowing just one run on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season. Heath Bell retired the side in order in the ninth inning to collect his 11 save of the season. Bell, who hasn't blown a save this year, has tossed 17 straight scoreless frames.

"We are just having a good time. We're not trying too hard. We're still going out there and busting our butt...We're having fun," Bell said.

San Diego, which is perfect so far on a nine-game homestand, will host the Chicago Cubs for three games after its set with the National League West-rival Giants. The Padres began the residency on a six-game losing streak, then swept the visiting Cincinnati Reds in three games.

Kevin Correia enters this outing fresh off his first win in a Padres uniform and will take the hill Thursday. He pitched seven innings of three-run ball and allowed five hits in a 5-3 victory over Cincinnati on May 15, improving to 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA in seven trips to the mound this season.

Correia, who has allowed three or more runs in five of his seven outings this season, spent the first six seasons of his career with San Francisco. The righty has never faced the Giants in his career. In team news for the Padres, staff ace Jake Peavy has been rumored to be traded to the Chicago White Sox.

San Diego has won five of its seven matchups with the Giants this season, and swept a three-game series at Petco Park in early April.