Padres on Deck @ Giants, Game 2 of 3

San Diego (22-34) at San Francisco (23-32), 1:05 pm

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Lately, having the National League's worst offense hasn't kept the San Diego Padres from winning games. The Padres target their fifth win in six games on Saturday as they continue their three-game series with the San Francisco Giants.

In large part because of the league's second-worst team batting average, San Diego has scored just 202 runs this season, the lowest total in the NL and second-lowest mark in the majors. However, the offense has improved a bit lately as the Padres have scored fewer than five runs just once in their last five games.

In their series-opening 7-3, 13-inning win over the Giants on Friday, the Padres used three walks and a hit batsman to complement just two hits in the pivotal four-run inning.

On Saturday, San Diego will turn to Josh Banks (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who will take the mound for his first start in the majors this season. The righthander has tossed eight scoreless innings over two relief appearances since he was recalled up from the minors. He received the decision in San Diego's 18-inning win on Sunday after holding Cincinnati to five hits over six frames.

He'll be opposed by Patrick Misch (0-1, 6.54), who will be trying to snap a dubious streak in which the club has lost the last 12 games has appeared in for the Giants. In Sunday's 8-6 loss at Florida, the lefthander surrendered seven runs over 4 1/3 innings.