San Diego @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2012 ) San Diego 2, Arizona 3

The Arizona Diamondbacks are six games behind St. Louis in the race for the second wild card spot in the National League and realistic about their chances. With four teams between them and the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks are mixing their present with the future this month. In Tuesday’s series-opening 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres, rookie center fielder Adam Eaton had another solid game by reaching base three times and scoring Arizona's first run. Eaton, who has an on-base percentage of .423 in 11 games, continues to start over Gerardo Parra as the Diamondbacks look to see if he could be an everyday player next season.

Eaton and Parra both could get plenty of playing time over the final 15 games after Chris Young aggravated his right quad injury in the first inning on Tuesday. Young will likely miss the rest of the season and he could be traded in the offseason if the Diamondbacks decide to make Eaton or Parra starters next year. The Padres are likely out of wild card contention after falling seven games behind St. Louis, but they’re not giving up yet. San Diego hopes to have Cameron Maybin (Achilles' tendon), Carlos Quentin (right knee) and closer Huston Street (calf) back in the lineup soon. Maybin, who is batting .398 since Aug. 19, could return later this week. Quentin was available as a pinch hitter on Tuesday, and Street is hoping to be activated from the disabled list by Thursday.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Fox Sports SD (San Diego), FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Edinson Volquez (10-10, 4.24 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Trevor Cahill (11-11, 3.92)

Volquez has now won three of his last four starts after allowing three runs (two earned) over 5 1/3 innings against St. Louis last Tuesday. The 29-year-old is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in six career starts against Arizona, including 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts this season. Aaron Hill is 0-for-11 with four strikeouts against Volquez.

Cahill is set to join CC Sabathia as only the second pitcher since 1990 to have 10 or more wins and 30 or more starts in each of his first four major league seasons. He's 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA in his last three starts, including last Wednesday when he yielded two runs over seven innings against the Dodgers. A San Diego native, Cahill is 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA in four starts against the Padres this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres 1B Yonder Alonso is hitting .444 (11-for-25) with a homer and 10 RBI in his last seven games.

2. Arizona C Miguel Montero has 84 RBIs, two short of his career high set last year.

3. San Diego has won eight of its last 10 games against Arizona, including six out of seven at Chase Field this season.