San Diego @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2015 ) San Diego 4, Seattle 11

Nelson Cruz is finally getting some help, and Seattle is beginning to look like the contender many felt it could be after hitting its most homers in a game since 2004. The Mariners look to stay perfect on a long homestand when they wrap up a two-game series with San Diego on Wednesday.

Five different Seattle hitters went deep - including two by Mike Zunino - in Tuesday's six-homer 11-4 rout of the Padres, which matched the Mariners' best output for runs this season and gave the club a season-high four straight wins. Cruz did homer late in the contest, his major league-leading 15th, and has slugged one in five consecutive interleague games, which is tied with eight others for the all-time record. He will attempt to establish a new standard against San Diego right-hander James Shields, who has served up seven home runs in his last two starts.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH James Shields (4-0, 4.25 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (1-3, 8.13)

Shields is looking to become the first Padres pitcher since 2007 to start a season 5-0 but his last two outings - both wins - have not been pretty, as he has allowed a total of 10 runs while struggling to keep the ball in the park. The veteran has 26 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings over his last three starts and pulled into Tuesday's play leading the National League with 11.69 punchouts per nine. Shields is 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in seven career starts at Seattle.

Walker had a slight rebound from a rocky performance at Houston on May 2, allowing three runs in five innings while fanning six to help the Mariners win 4-3 in Oakland on Friday. The former first-round selection has been a bit better at home, where he has surrendered four runs and nine hits in 10 1/3 innings. Walker, 22, is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA and 10 walks in nine innings over two career interleague starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano is batting .405 with four home runs and nine doubles against Shields.

2. The Padres are 0-4 in interleague games this year.

3. Seattle SP Hisashi Iwakuma (lat strain) was shut down for up to two weeks due to tightness, manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Padres 5, Mariners 4