San Diego @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 28, 2015 ) San Diego 3, Texas 2

Instead of making a late push on the teams leading their respective divisions heading into the All-Star break, the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers have responded with some of their worst play of the season. The Padres attempt to snap a campaign-worst five-game skid on Friday when they open a three-game interleague series in Texas against the Rangers, who will try to avoid a matching a season low with a sixth straight loss.

San Diego’s recent offensive woes are the primary reason why the team is a season-low nine games below .500 (39-48), tallying two runs or fewer in seven of its eight July contests. Such has been the case in each of the Padres’ defeats during their losing streak, the last of which was a 5-2 setback in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Texas’ pitching has been the main source of its frustration during an eight-game losing streak at Globe Life Park, giving up an average of 8.3 runs while getting swept by Oakland, the Los Angeles Angels and Arizona. The Rangers are one defeat shy of tying a franchise record for most consecutive home losses.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.84 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Wandy Rodriguez (5-4, 4.23)
Kennedy continued to receive minimal support from his offense on Sunday, taking the loss after giving three runs over six innings in a 3-1 setback at St. Louis. The outing marked the first time in the last five turns the 30-year-old USC product gave up more than one earned run, although he is only 1-3 over that span because the Padres have scored a total of six runs in those contests. Kennedy, who owns a 2-4 mark and 3.54 ERA on the road, lost his only career start against the Rangers in 2012, surrendering six runs in 5 2/3 frames.
Rodriguez remained winless at home, falling to 0-4 with a 7.42 ERA at Globe Life Park after yielding five runs over as many innings in a 13-0 setback versus the Angels on Saturday. The 36-year-old Dominican has struggled mightily over his last two home outings, allowing a total of 13 runs, 20 hits and six walks across nine frames. Rodriguez is 3-3, 5.53 in eight appearances (seven starts) versus the Padres and will face them for the first time since 2012 - when he gave up five runs in each of his two turns against them.

WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers have won six of seven and seven of their last nine interleague home contests.
2. Padres LF Justin Upton, who sat out Wednesday’s loss, is day-to-day with oblique soreness.
3. Texas has won only three of its last 18 July home games.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Padres 2