San Diego @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 26, 2015 ) LA Dodgers 1, San Diego 3

Runs figure to be at a premium Friday when the San Diego Padres begin a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who haven’t scored in 31 innings. San Diego has dropped five of their last six games and were shutout for the seventh time in Thursday’s 3-0 loss to the Cubs.

Former Dodger Matt Kemp was acquired to provide some much-needed power in the middle of the Padres’ lineup, but he’s hitting .259 with one home run in 166 at-bats. Kemp has struck out in five of his last eight at-bats for San Diego, which has lost four of the first six meetings against Los Angeles this season. The Dodgers are looking to bounce back from a dismal series in San Francisco that saw them lose all three games by a combined score of 10-0 while going 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position. “We have professional guys that are not going to panic,” manager Don Mattingly told reporters. “We’ll be fine. We’re still in pretty good position.”

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (1-7, 3.24 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.52)

The Padres have scored a total of two runs in support of Cashner while he was in the game over his last five starts, which helps explain his surprising record. The 28-year-old has lost his past five starts despite posting a 3.55 ERA and holding opponents to a .260 average during that span. Adrian Gonzalez is 10-for-28 with four home runs against Cashner, who is 1-4 with a 2.22 ERA in 19 career games (eight starts) against the Dodgers.

Greinke is set to make his third start of the season against San Diego after posting a 0.69 in his previous two outings covering 13 innings. The 31-year-old recorded his first loss Saturday against Colorado, allowing one run on four hits over six innings. Greinke owns a 5-0 mark and 1.58 ERA in nine career starts against the Padres, but Justin Upton is 8-for-20 with a home run against the 2009 AL Cy Young award winner.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers are 20-2 when scoring four or more runs.

2. Los Angeles suspended minor league INF Erisbel Arruebarrena for the season for “repeated failures to comply with his contract.”

3. The Padres are 12-7 in games decided by two or fewer runs.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Padres 2