San Diego @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 22, 2011 ) San Diego 1, Philadelphia 3

THE STORY: Mat Latos has a pair of pronounced losing skids staring him in the face. On one hand is his own trouble - he has dropped four of his last five outings. On the other hand is the plight of the San Diego Padres, who have lost eight straight to the Philadelphia Phillies. Latos will do his best to alter both streaks when he takes the mound for Saturday's contest at Philadelphia. The Phillies posted a 3-1 triumph in the opener of the three-game series Friday. The Phillies have won 17 of their last 25, while the Padres saw their bid for a season-high four-game winning streak halted.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Mat Latos (5-10, 4.02 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 3.44).

Latos worked so hard to make his record respectable after losing his first five decisions. The 23-year-old Virginian won four of his next five outings before reversing the trend in his next five decisions. Latos pitched well in a no-decision in his last trip to the mound Sunday. He allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings against the San Francisco Giants. Latos is 0-2 in his career against the Phillies. He yielded three runs on four hits and walked five in 4 1/3 innings in a 3-0 loss on April 21. Kendrick was solid in his last outing, permitting just one run on six hits in seven innings against the New York Mets on Sunday. The Mets rallied against the Phillies bullpen, but the 26-year-old Texan was credited with his first win in more than a month. Kendrick is 2-1 in his career versus San Diego. He picked up a win after a scoreless inning of relief in a 4-2 triumph on April 23.

ABOUT THE PADRES (44-56): After banging out 23 runs in a three-game sweep of the Florida Marlins, the light-hitting Padres were brought back to reality at the hands of Cole Hamels. The San Diego native held them to only three hits over eight innings. Cameron Maybin had one of them to extend his hitting streak to eight games and also scored the Padres' run. On Saturday, Maybin will look to solve Kendrick, who has held him hitless in six career at-bats. Chase Headley made his first start in five games since straining his right calf July 15. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Friday.

ABOUT THE PHILLIES (62-36): Ryan Madson retired the side in order in the ninth inning to collect his first save since returning from the disabled list last week. Antonio Bastardo had pitched the last five save opportunities for the Phillies. Fellow reliever Brad Lidge, who has 99 saves with the Phillies, was activated from the disabled list Friday. John Mayberry Jr. recorded his first RBI in six games when he plated Carlos Ruiz with a run-scoring double in the fourth inning. Mayberry had nine RBIs in two games prior to his modest slump. Jimmy Rollins, who went 0-for-4 on Friday, is 3-for-5 in his career against Latos.

FINAL PITCH: Philadelphia righthander Roy Oswalt (back) completed a three-inning simulated game Friday. The veteran is on target for a rehab start as early as next week.