There were few expectations when Chris Heston joined the San Francisco Giants after opening day, but there were plenty when the San Diego Padres traded for Matt Kemp.
Heston will try to stifle the hot-hitting Kemp and help the Giants rebound from their first loss in seven games by continuing his strong run against the Padres on Tuesday night.
Heston (9-5, 3.39 ERA) leads all rookies in wins, ERA, WHIP (1.20) and innings pitched (111 2-3). The right-hander trails only World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner in wins (10) and ERA (3.27) among the Giants' starters.
He's 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA in his last seven starts, a stretch that began with a no-hitter against the New York Mets on June 9. That span also includes allowing two runs in seven innings of a 13-8 win over San Diego (44-49).
Heston entered the break by yielding one run in 14 innings over two starts, winning his only decision.
San Francisco's six-game winning streak end with Monday's 4-2 loss in the opener of this three-game set. The Giants (49-44) have lost four straight and seven of their last eight at Petco Park.
Kemp has been a big part of that, going 8 for 12 with four extra-base hits in the last three home matchups with San Francisco.
The right fielder had a two-run homer and a single Monday, improving to 14 for 31 (.452) with four homers, four doubles and 10 RBIs in the past eight games.
"He's the best player on the field," interim manager Pat Murphy said. "There's some great ones on the field, but the last three or four games, with all the great players that are on the field, he's the best player on the field."
Kemp's hot stretch has spurred the Padres' season-high five-game winning streak. They haven't put together a longer run since winning seven in a row from June 10-17, 2013.
The current streak has San Diego feeling good about acquiring Kemp in a five-player deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the winter, a trade that created playoff aspirations for a team which last reached the postseason in 2006.
Kemp is 2 for 6 with a double versus Heston, while Yangervis Solarte will face him for the first time after going 3 for 5 with an RBI on Monday.
Solarte is 9 for 28 (.321) in eight home games against the Giants.
They'll give the ball to Odrisamer Despaigne (3-6, 4.64), who is 2-0 with a 0.91 ERA in five games - four starts - against the Giants. He's 1-0 with a 0.51 ERA in three home meetings.
The right-hander has allowed one run in seven innings over his last two games, including his most recent start on July 4. He had a 5.59 ERA and an 0-3 record over his previous five starts, and that includes allowing two runs in five innings of a 3-2 win at San Francisco on June 23.
Despaigne has dominated Buster Posey, holding him hitless in 12 at-bats. The All-Star catcher is 14 for 29 (.483) with seven RBIs in seven games after connecting for a run-scoring single Monday, and his 38 RBIs on the road lead the majors.
Posey is a .336 hitter at Petco.
