Padres at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers attempt to avoid losing their second straight series at home when they host the struggling San Diego Padres on Sunday for the finale of their three-game series. Los Angeles, which owns the best home record in the majors at 42-15, improved to 33-17 versus the National League West - 18-7 at Dodger Stadium - after Saturday's 4-1 victory.
The Dodgers have won four of their last five contests after Walker Buehler struck out 15 batters en route to a complete game and are cruising toward what will be their seventh straight NL West title as they own a 16-game lead over San Francisco. The Padres were in contention for a wild-card spot heading into the All-Star break but have gone 6-14 since as their growing pains continue. San Diego leads baseball with 47 games started by rookie pitchers, and that number will grow to 48 when Chris Paddack takes his scheduled turn on Sunday. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in six starts since returning from the minors as he takes the mound opposite Kenta Maeda, who is winless in his last 11 outings (0-6).
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Chris Paddack (7-5, 2.78 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (7-8, 4.07)
Paddack allowed one run, three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-1 victory over Baltimore on Monday. The 23-year-old Texan, who was 4-4 with a 3.15 ERA prior to his demotion, boasts a 0.90 WHIP and has held opponents to a .184 batting average. Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson went deep on Paddack in the Dodgers' 6-3 victory on May 14, but the eighth-round pick by Miami in the 2015 draft rebounded with 5 2/3 scoreless frames during a no-decision in San Diego's 3-1 victory at Dodger Stadium on July 6.
Maeda allowed six runs (five earned), seven hits and two walks while striking out five batters in four-plus innings of a 9-1 loss at Colorado on Monday. The 31-year-old native of Japan has recorded two quality starts during his winless streak, including a 3-1 loss to San Diego on July 6 in which he yielded three runs and four hits over 7 2/3 frames. Wil Myers has gone 3-for-25 with 12 strikeouts versus Maeda, who is 6-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 16 games (14 starts) against San Diego - including a 1-1 record and 3.10 mark in three turns this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr. has gone 11-for-34 during his eight-game hitting streak, lowering his average one point to .325.
2. Los Angeles CF A.J. Pollock (groin) took batting practice on Saturday but did not play for the second straight game. He is expected back in the lineup on either Sunday or Monday, when the Dodgers begin a three-game home series against St. Louis.
3. Myers was 10-for-23 with five RBIs during a six-game hitting streak before going 0-for-4 on Saturday.