Padres at Dodgers
The San Diego Padres have struggled in the season series but hope to ride the momentum of a win when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Hunter Renfroe clubbed a tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning as the Padres recorded a 3-2 victory on Friday in the second contest of the four-game set to improve to 2-5 versus the Dodgers this year.
Renfroe was 2-for-23 with nine strikeouts against the Dodgers this season when he stepped to the plate and hit the decisive blast, joining the pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam he belted against Kenley Jansen on May 5 as his second clutch homer of 2019 versus Los Angeles. All-Star Kirby Yates recorded the final five outs to notch his 28th save as the Padres snapped a five-game skid during which they were outscored 40-15. The Dodgers had their nine-game home winning streak halted, and their string of four consecutive overall victories also came to an end. Max Muncy is 3-for-23 over his last six games after going 0-for-4 on the same day he was named to the National League All-Star team as a replacement for Washington's Anthony Rendon.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Chris Paddack (5-4, 3.05 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (7-4, 3.78)
Paddack defeated St. Louis in his last turn as he registered eight strikeouts while allowing one run and two hits in six innings. The 23-year-old went 0-2 over his previous four starts, permitting 14 earned runs in 19 1/3 frames while serving up seven homers. Paddack lost to the Dodgers on May 14, when he surrendered six runs (three earned) and five hits - including two-run homers by Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson - over 4 2/3 innings.
Maeda has gone 0-2 in his last five starts despite allowing more than two runs in just one of those outings. The 31-year-old worked only 4 1/3 frames in a no-decision against Colorado last time out, giving up two runs and three hits. Maeda is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts against San Diego this season and 6-3 with a 4.13 ERA in 15 career appearances (13 starts) versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers placed C Will Smith on the 10-day injured list.
2. San Diego OF Wil Myers, who is 4-for-30 over his last 16 contests, has struck out 12 times while going 3-for-24 against Maeda.
3. Los Angeles SS Corey Seager (hamstring) and CF A.J. Pollock (elbow) are slated to be activated from the injured list for the July 12 game at Boston when play resumes following the All-Star break.