Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2015 ) LA Dodgers 4, San Diego 3

Los Angeles' Zack Greinke tries to continue his wildly successful run against the National League West when the Dodgers visit the San Diego Padres on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game series. Greinke is 22-2 with a 2.06 ERA and .214 batting average against in 35 starts versus the division since joining Los Angeles in 2013 — 4-1, 2.41 in eight turns this season, including 1-0, 0.87 in three outings against San Diego that are among his major league-leading 11 quality starts.

The Dodgers improved to 7-3 versus the Padres this season with a 4-3 victory Friday after blowing a 2-0 lead — and Clayton Kershaw's sixth victory — before rallying with two runs in the eighth inning. Los Angeles' Justin Turner is 10-for-23 with five RBIs in his last seven games, including 2-for-4 with an RBI on Friday in his first contest since missing two after fouling a ball off his left knee Monday. San Diego (31-32), which has played a league-leading 49 of its 63 games against teams .500 or better, has lost three of its last four contests and is six games behind the first-place Dodgers. The Padres give the ball to Ian Kennedy, who is 0-7 in last 11 starts against Los Angeles dating to 2012.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.92 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ian Kennedy (3-5, 6.48)

Greinke received a no-decision after yielding one run and striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-2 loss to St. Louis on Sunday. The 31-year-old Floridian, who is 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA in four road starts this season, has permitted one or fewer runs in nine of his 12 starts in 2015. Justin Upton (9-for-23, home run, triple, two doubles) and Clint Barmes (7-for-19, two doubles) have fared well against Greinke, who is 5-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 10 starts versus San Diego.

Kennedy picked up a no-decision after allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out six in five innings of a 5-3 victory at Atlanta on Monday. The 30-year-old Californian is 5-9 with a 4.50 ERA in 19 starts against Los Angeles after giving up 10 runs in 10 1/3 innings over two turns this season. Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier have each hit three home runs and combined for seven doubles and 15 RBIs in 83 at-bats against Kennedy, who is 1-4 in his last six starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers OF Yasiel Puig is 10-for-19 with a homer, three doubles, four RBIs and five runs scored in five games since being reinstated from the disabled list.

2. Los Angeles 2B Howie Kendrick is hitting a team-best .365 with runners in scoring position.

3. Gonzalez, who was ejected Friday for arguing balls and strikes, is hitting .332 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs versus the Padres, his former team.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Padres 2