Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2012 ) LA Dodgers 8, San Diego 2

Every game is like a playoff game now for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who sit 3 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the last National League wild card spot with seven games remaining. The magic number to elimination for the Dodgers is four. The Dodgers play their final home game of the season Thursday against the San Diego Padres, who are 24-8 at home since July 17. The teams split the first two games of the series, with the Dodgers rolling to an 8-2 win on Wednesday behind a huge game from Matt Kemp, who tied his season highs with four hits and four RBIs. The Dodgers are 40-40 on the road and need a victory Thursday to record their first winning record away from Dodger Stadium since going 45-36 in 2009.

Despite losing Wednesday, the Padres have quietly put together a solid season. The team has a better record (72-73) than the Dodgers (71-74) since the first 10 games of the season, and they’re 24-9 at Petco Park since the All-Star break. The Padres have a solid base of young players for the future, including catcher Yasmani Grandal, who is 12-for-36 (.333) over his last 11 games and hitting .279 overall. Grandal figures to begin next season as the starter, with veteran Nick Hundley serving as his backup. Hundley has had a season to forget, batting .157 in 204 at-bats before being demoted to the minors and eventually having season-ending knee surgery.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), Fox Sports SD (San Diego)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Chris Capuano (11-11, 3.74 ERA) vs. Padres RH Casey Kelly (2-2, 5.55)

Capuano has allowed 10 runs in his last 21 1/3 innings covering four outings in September, and he’s yielded five home runs during that span. Capuano, who is 0-2 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts against San Diego this season, allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings last Thursday against the Nationals.

Kelly is making a strong bid to begin next season in the Padres’ rotation after allowing four earned runs in his last 10 1/3 innings spanning two outings. Once traded from Boston with three other players in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez, Kelly is set to make his sixth start this season after giving up two runs in 4 1/3 innings last Friday against the Giants.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Dodgers OF Shane Victorino missed Wednesday’s game with a sore wrist and is listed as day-to-day.

2. Padres 2B Logan Forsythe is hitting .438 (32-for-73) against left-handed pitchers since the All-Star break.

3. Kemp is hitting .407 with seven homers and 19 RBIs in 17 games against San Diego this season.