Dodgers at Padres
After a hiccup earlier in the week, the San Diego Padres are back to climbing up the standings in the National League West. The Padres will be looking to post their ninth win in 11 games when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers again on Friday. San Diego had won seven in a row before dropping consecutive games at San Francisco but picked things right up with a 6-3 triumph over the struggling Dodgers in Thursday’s series opener.
That victory pushed the Padres within 2 1/2 games of first place in the tightly-packed NL West, and a favorable schedule over the next two weeks should help San Diego. Part of that schedule includes the Dodgers, who sit in last place in the West and have dropped eight of 11 to fall 11 games under .500. Rookie sensation Yasiel Puig has homered in back-to-back games but is not getting much help from his teammates.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, PRIME (Los Angeles), Fox Sports San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (5-4, 1.84 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (2-5, 7.01)
Kershaw has gone five straight turns without a win despite posting four consecutive quality starts. The ace lefty allowed a run on three hits in seven innings at Pittsburgh on Saturday but ended up without a decision. Kershaw yielded three runs - two earned - over six innings in a loss to San Diego on June 5 but is 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA in seven career starts at Petco Park.
One of the most encouraging signs during the recent surge by the Padres was Richard’s last outing, when he allowed one run in eight innings to beat Arizona. The veteran left-hander had been reached for at least four earned runs in each of his previous six starts. Richard was knocked around for six runs on five hits in a loss at Los Angeles on June 4.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres LF Carlos Quentin (shoulder) has missed the last week but could be back this weekend.
2. Puig went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts on Thursday to drop his average to .452.
3. San Diego SS Pedro Ciriaco recorded his first two extra-base hits since joining the team last week with a triple and a home run in the series opener.