Arizona @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 26, 2012 ) San Diego 5, Arizona 4
The Arizona Diamondbacks attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive as they begin a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Friday. Arizona's chances for the National League West title are quite slim as it sits in third place, 9 1/2 games behind division-leading San Francisco. The Diamondbacks have a better chance for a wild card as they trail St. Louis by 6 1/2 for the second spot.
Following a 2-8 homestand that included a three-game sweep at the hands of San Diego, Arizona enters the weekend with a 4-3 record on its 10-game road trip. San Diego is returning to Petco Park for a nine-game homestand after a 3-3 trek. The Padres are 12-4 since Aug. 19, tying them for the best record in baseball during that stretch with the Los Angeles Angels. San Diego has swept each of the last two series between the division rivals, outscoring Arizona 42-20 in the six victories.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN (Arizona, San Diego), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Tyler Skaggs (1-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. Padres RH Andrew Cashner (3-3, 3.44)
Skaggs will be making his fourth start in the major leagues. The 21-year-old won his debut against Miami on Aug. 22 and lost to Cincinnati five days later, allowing just two earned runs in each outing. Skaggs had his shortest outing thus far on Saturday in Los Angeles, yielding one run over five frames in a no-decision versus the Angels.
After 27 relief appearances, Cashner will make his fourth consecutive start but first since July 3, when he worked only two innings at Arizona before leaving with a strained right lat muscle. The injury forced the 25-year-old to miss 51 games. Cashner, who is 3-1 in 17 relief outings at home this season, won his only career decision against the Diamondbacks.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Padres have won 16 of their last 21 home games.
2. San Diego RHP Edinson Volquez will start Tuesday against St. Louis instead of Saturday versus Arizona due to a blister on his right thumb.
3. One of only two players ever to record two cycles in the same year, Diamondbacks INF Aaron Hill on Tuesday fell a triple shy of becoming the first in major-league history to register three cycles in a season.