Now in the second year of a seven-year, $126 million contract, Zito (9-16, 5.35 ERA) opened this season by losing his first eight decisions. But he has since turned things around somewhat, going 9-8 with a 5.03 ERA, and the left-hander has beaten the Padres twice in that span, going eight innings each time and holding them to a total of three runs and seven hits with seven walks.

Zito has notched at least 10 wins in each of his previous seven seasons. His 16 losses this year, though, are a career high, and he's trying to avoid becoming the first Giants pitcher with 17 since Dave LaPoint in 1985.

On Tuesday, Zito didn't factor in San Francisco's 5-4 win over Arizona. He allowed two runs and five hits over six innings with three walks and nine strikeouts and also drove in the Giants' first run.

"I've learned a lot of stuff this year," Zito told the Giants' official Web site. "Sometimes it takes a lot of pain, a lot of struggling, to make you stronger. I'm motivated to stay within myself and not worry so much about results."

Zito follows a stellar start by NL Cy Young Award hopeful Tim Lincecum, who tossed a four-hitter for his first career shutout on Saturday en route to a 7-0 win. Lincecum improved to 17-3, and struck out 12 to increase his major league-leading total to 237.

It was the eighth time this season Lincecum has reached double digits in strikeouts. He also lowered his NL-best ERA to 2.43.

Adrian Gonzalez, who had hit three two-run homers in the past two games for San Diego, struck out three times.

Randy Winn went 2-for-4 for San Francisco (67-81), and is hitting .455 (20-for-44) during a 10-game hitting streak. Winn will try to extend his run against Cha Seung Baek (5-9, 4.97), who hopes to build off an impressive start for the Padres.

On Monday, the right-hander limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to three hits with two walks over seven innings in San Diego's 4-0 win.

"In simple terms, he made a heck of a lot more better pitches," San Diego manager Bud Black told the Padres' official Web site. "He threw some good fastballs and changeups and didn't rely on his curveball and slider as much."

Baek, acquired from Seattle on May 28, is 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA in two appearances - one start - against San Francisco this year.

San Diego (57-92) needs to win six of its last 13 games to avoid losing 100 for the sixth time in the franchise's 40-year history, and first since dropping 101 in 1993.