PHOENIX (Interstat) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres open a four-game series Monday at Chase Field with just one game separating them in the standings.

Arizona enters at 59-53, while San Diego is 58-54. The Padres have won eight of their past 10, including Sunday’s 5-4 victory over San Francisco. The Diamondbacks lost 5-0 at Cleveland on Sunday, but they had won six of their previous nine.

Interstat’s game simulator projects Arizona to win 7-6, and its ELO system gives the Diamondbacks a 51.60 percent chance of victory. The Padres are installed as the pregame favorite at -1.5 on the run line. The over-under is 8.

The teams split a four-game series at Petco Park from July 6-9. Arizona won 8-0 and 3-1; San Diego won 4-1 and 10-4. At Chase Field in late April, Arizona won 12-7 and San Diego won 6-4.

San Diego will rely on reliever Kyle Hart, who has been one of its most dependable bullpen arms. Hart has allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of his last eight appearances. He threw three scoreless innings Sunday against San Francisco, allowing one hit while striking out two, and earned the win. He also worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings against Colorado on July 29 and two scoreless innings at Miami on July 24. Jackson Merrill keyed Sunday’s offense, going 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs.

Arizona’s player to watch is Taylor Clarke. The right-hander has not allowed a run in nine of his last 10 appearances. On Sunday at Cleveland, he threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. He also posted scoreless outings against St. Louis, and the Los Angeles Dodgers in recent weeks. His only rough outing in that stretch came July 8 at San Diego, when he gave up three earned runs in one inning.

Monday begins a stretch that could reshape the NL West race. The teams play again at Chase Field on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. After the series, San Diego returns home to host Houston, while Arizona stays home to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.