Seattle @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( May 13, 2015 ) San Diego 4, Seattle 2

The Seattle Mariners hope to begin turning their disappointing season around when they visit the scuffling San Diego Padres on Tuesday in the first of a two-game interleague series. The Mariners, expected to be in the hunt for an American League playoff spot, have dropped five of their last seven to fall a season-high eight games under .500.

Robinson Cano is having a rough campaign (.241, four homers, 24 RBIs, 73 games) and slugger Nelson Cruz, who got off to sizzling start, has one homer in the last 28 games for Seattle. The Padres split a pair of games at Seattle on May 12-13, but are just 7-12 since being one game over .500 on June 8. Justin Upton (14 homers, 46 RBIs) and Derek Norris (11 homers, 45 RBIs) have led San Diego throughout and Matt Kemp is 7-for-16 with a pair of homers and five RBIs in his last four games. Despite their struggles, the Padres are only 6 1/2 games out in the National League West.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Mike Montgomery (2-2, 2.04 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ian Kennedy (4-6, 5.09)

Montgomery comes in off his first career shutout, limiting the Kansas City Royals to five hits while striking out a career-high 10 in 105 pitches. The former first-round pick of the Royals has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his first five major league starts, yielding four in his only outing against a National League team (San Francisco). Montgomery walked eight in his first four turns and did not issue a free pass last Tuesday.

Kennedy is 2-1 over his last five starts while surrendering only eight earned runs combined over 30 innings during that span. The former New York Yankees first-round pick permitted five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings during his only career meeting with Seattle in an 11-4 loss on May 12. Logan Morrison is 4-for-11 with a pair of homers versus Kennedy, who has allowed 15 blasts in 13 starts – one in each of the last three.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres 3B Will Middlebrooks, who is 4-for-28 his last nine games, suffered an ankle injury Sunday and is considered day-to-day.

2. Seattle RHP Fernando Rodney is turning his season around after permitting only two hits over seven straight scoreless outings.

3. San Diego SS Clint Barmes is 9-for-23 with six doubles in his last eight contests.

PREDICTION: Mariners 4, Padres 2