After Wednesday's game at PETCO Park, the Padres won't see their National League West rivals until June 25.

So far, the early returns have been good, as the Padres have taken three of five games from the Giants.

Just because the Padres are done with the Giants for a while doesn't mean that they'll be getting a break anytime soon from playing their other division rivals.

The Padres are now eight games into their 2007 schedule. Not only that, the Padres are eight games into a schedule this month that will see them face their divisional brethren -- the Giants, Dodgers, Rockies and D-backs -- 23 times.

That's right, 23 more games against NL West teams.

The Padres don't play as many games against NL West teams in any other single month during the regular season, though they do play 20 games against NL West teams in September.

Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Noah Lowry (0-1, 1.29 ERA)
Lowry was 1-0 with a 4.40 ERA in two starts against the Padres last season. He's 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA for his career against San Diego in 10 games, including eight starts.

SD: RHP Greg Maddux (0-1, 6.75)
Maddux was 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in three starts against the Giants last season. For his career, Maddux is 26-14 with a 2.96 ERA in 46 starts vs. San Francisco.

Player to watch
Ray Durham might be a career .281 hitter but he's hitting 20 points higher lifetime when he's facing the Padres. Durham simply crushed the Padres last season, hitting .349 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. He had 22 hits in 15 games against San Diego.

On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• Channel 4/Cablemas

On radio
• 1090 AM/105.7 FM XX, 860 AM XEMO (Español)

Up next
• Thursday: off
• Friday: Padres (LHP David Wells, 0-0, 2.70) at Dodgers (RHP Derek Lowe, 1-1, 5.73), 7:40 p.m. PT
• Saturday: Padres (RHP Jake Peavy, 1-0, 0.69) at Dodgers (LHP Randy Wolf, 1-1, 3.75), 7:10 p.m. PT