San Diego @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2012 ) San Diego 9, Arizona 3
The San Diego Padres try for their season-high seventh straight victory as they attempt to complete a sweep of their three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since ending a five-game skid against San Francisco at home on Aug. 19, San Diego swept its three-game set with Pittsburgh and captured the first two contests of this series, outscoring the Diamondbacks 14-3. The Padres have won six consecutive games at Chase Field after losing 24 of their previous 30 in the desert.
Arizona has registered only 11 hits over the first two contests of the set and is 2-4 on its 10-game homestand. The Diamondbacks now trail the first-place Giants by seven games in the National League West and are 5 1/2 behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. Justin Upton, who celebrated his 25th birthday as he returned to the lineup Saturday after missing three games with a hamstring injury, proved he's in good health as he hit an inside-the-park homer in his first at-bat. He became the first player to hit an inside-the-parker on his birthday since Hall of Famer Lou Brock accomplished the feat on June 18, 1976 - also against San Diego.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN (San Diego, Arizona)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Edinson Volquez (8-9, 4.18 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Joe Saunders (6-10, 4.22)
Volquez rebounded from a pair of rough starts on Monday, when he limited Pittsburgh to one run and five hits while striking out 10 in 6 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old Dominican allowed six runs while failing to complete four frames in each of his previous two outings. Volquez gave up two runs in both starts against Arizona earlier this season but settled for no-decisions. He is 0-1 in five career meetings with the Diamondbacks.
Saunders may not start after all, as it has been reported he is on the verge of being traded to an East Coast team. The 32-year-old has struggled of late, losing four of five starts and six of eight decisions. Saunders was battered for nine runs and 12 hits over just 3 2/3 innings of a loss to Miami on Monday. The veteran is 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA in nine career starts against San Diego. One possibility for Arizona should Saunders be scratched is Trevor Cahill, who is winless in his last four outings. Cahill is 1-1 in three career starts against the Padres.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres 3B Chase Headley has 22 home runs, 10 of which have been hit this month. It's the highest homer total by a Padre in August since Phil Nevin also belted 10 in 1999.
2. Upton's inside-the-park homer was the ninth in franchise history and second by a Diamondback this season. The since-departed Ryan Roberts recorded the first on June 20 versus Seattle.
3. San Diego SS Everth Cabrera was caught stealing in the third inning Saturday, ending his franchise-record streak of 28 consecutive steals. Cabrera was successful on his first 24 attempts this season.