Padres at Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies vie for their first three-game winning streak in nearly a month as they attempt to complete a series sweep of the visiting San Diego Padres on Thursday afternoon. Marlon Byrd belted a three-run homer in the series opener before Reid Brignac did the same in dramatic fashion with one out in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 3-0 triumph. Brignac's second walk-off hit in two weeks gave Philadelphia an opportunity to record three straight victories for the first time since May 17-20.
The Phillies have enjoyed considerable success versus the Padres, winning 27 of the 35 meetings over the last five years. San Diego will have a hard time improving on those numbers if it continues its putrid display at the plate. The light-hitting Padres are comfortably in last in the majors in runs (197), batting average (.216) and on-base percentage (.275), while Everth Cabrera (0-for-23) and Jace Peterson (0-for-20) are mired in pronounced slumps.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN (San Diego), CSN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Stults (2-7, 5.68 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Kyle Kendrick (1-6, 4.30)
Stults lost his fourth straight decision after allowing six runs on eight hits in a career-low 2 1/3 innings en route to a 6-0 setback versus Washington on Sunday. The 34-year-old has lost all five decisions on the road while yielding a gaudy .302 batting average to his opponents. Stults owns a 4.50 ERA and has permitted Philadelphia to bat .309 against him in three career meetings.
Kendrick allowed four runs for the second straight outing while walking a season-high five batters en route to a 4-2 loss to the Nationals last Thursday. The 29-year-old traditionally has gotten the better of San Diego, posting a 3-1 career mark despite a 4.44 ERA. Kendrick picked up the win in his last outing versus the Padres after allowing two runs and striking out six in eight innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia SS Jimmy Rollins has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and is within two of tying Hall-of-Famer Mike Schmidt (2,234) for the franchise lead. He is 3-for-8 in his career versus Stults.
2. San Diego LF Carlos Quentin, who is mired in a 1-for-29 slump, has two hits in three at-bats against Kendrick.
3. The Phillies are vying for their second sweep of the season (versus Miami, April 11-13).