San Diego @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 10, 2015 ) San Diego 1, Atlanta 4

As the San Diego Padres send Jedd Gyorko to the minors in the hopes the second baseman finds his swing, they welcome back a key offensive contributor. First baseman Wil Myers, out since May 19 with tendinitis in his left wrist, could be activated in time for Thursday afternoon’s matchup against the Braves as the Padres try to salvage a split of the four-game series.

Myers hit .291 with five homers and 19 RBIs before the injury, while Gyorko – who was optioned to Triple-A El Paso – has lost the second base job to Cory Spangenberg by hitting .210 in 119 at-bats. Atlanta recorded 14 hits – all singles – in Wednesday’s 4-1 victory, the seventh time in nine games in June that the Braves have reached double digits in hits. Atlanta outfielders Cameron Maybin and Nick Markakis each finished with two hits, with the former raising his average to .303 while the latter is at .308. Markakis, who has yet to go deep in 221 at-bats this season, is hitting .389 in June.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.05 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (4-2, 4.87)

Cashner leads the major leagues in losses in part because the Padres are averaging only 2.67 runs in his 12 starts. But he has struggled in his past two outings, giving up six runs on 11 hits (with 12 strikeouts) in a loss to the Mets on June 1 before surrendering seven runs on eight hits in a no-decision five days later at Cincinnati. Cashner, who went 1-7 with a 2.89 ERA in his first nine starts, is third in the National League in hits allowed (84) and 11th in homers surrendered (11).

Teheran pitched well Saturday against Pittsburgh, giving up four runs on five hits in 7 1/3 innings but received a no-decision as Atlanta’s bullpen lost the lead. He is 0-1 in his past three starts with a 7.64 ERA and four homers allowed in 17 2/3 innings. Teheran, a 14-game winner each of the past two seasons, has just two victories since winning his first two starts of 2015.

WALK-OFFS

1. Spangenberg recorded his fourth three-hit game of the season Wednesday and is 6-for-12 in the series.

2. Atlanta INF/OF Kelly Johnson (right oblique strain) returned from the disabled list Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with a RBI in his first game since May 13.

3. San Diego LF Justin Upton, who hit 56 homers for the Braves in 2013-14, is 2-for-11 with four strikeouts in the series.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Padres 3