Padres at Phillies
The light-hitting San Diego Padres will look to get healthy on Friday when they open a three-game set against the host Philadelphia Phillies. The Padres are hitting a National League-worst .220 this season, but the Phillies' leaky bullpen has been quite generous lately. Philadelphia's relievers were taken to task during Wednesday's 10-6 loss to the New York Mets. After being swept by their NL East rivals, the Phillies fell four games under .500. The Padres have limped to an 11-21 mark, with a 2-7 record away from San Diego.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSSD (San Diego), CSN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (1-4, 4.89 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Vance Worley (2-2, 2.84 ERA)
San Diego's light-hitting offense has played a role in Richard's four-game losing skid. The Padres have accounted for just one run in each of his last three starts. Richard allowed three runs on nine hits in seven innings in a 4-1 loss to Miami on Saturday. He has dropped both career starts versus Philadelphia, but limited the Phillies to a .182 batting average.
Worley authored his worst start of the season on Saturday when he permitted five runs on 11 hits in six innings against Washington. The 24-year-old had been sizzling in his previous three starts, yielding just two runs and 14 hits in 20 innings. He was also dazzling in his lone career start versus San Diego, striking out a career-high 11 in seven innings in a 2-0 win on April 19.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Michael Schwimer was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday, with left-handers Jake Diekman and Raul Valdes expected to make the jump to the Phillies. Philadelphia's 5.59 bullpen ERA is nearly a full run worse than the 29th-ranked team in the majors (Milwaukee, 4.77 ERA)
2. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins has hit safely in nine of his last 12 games, but is just 1-for-7 in his career versus Richard.
3. San Diego first baseman Yonder Alonso is riding a seven-game hitting streak, but is just 1-for-5 versus Worley.