San Diego @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( May 2, 2010 ) Milwaukee 0, San Diego 8
After dispatching with the listless Chicago Cubs, the San Diego Padres may well be licking their chops heading into their three-game series against another NL Central foe.
The NL West-leading Padres (73-47) will vie for their seventh straight road victory when they face the Milwaukee Brewers (57-64) in the series opener on Friday.
San Diego has won 22 of 27 contests against the six-team division this season, a fact highlighted after the Padres scored four runs in the seventh on Thursday to cap a four-game sweep of the bumbling Cubs.
Will Venable's alert play on the bases in the pivotal frame will have most people talking - and some scratching their heads in the Windy City.
After Chase Headley was tagged near third at the end of a rundown, Chicago catcher Koyie Hill thought he had successfully called time and began to walk toward the mound.
Venable instinctively took off toward home and scored under the tag of first baseman Xavier Nady to give the Padres a 5-2 lead.
Mat Latos added a career-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings and two relievers bridged the gap to Heath Bell, who allowed one run in the ninth but retired the side to record his 24th consecutive save - and 37th of the season.
What does San Diego have in store for Milwaukee? Well, left-hander Wade LeBlanc for starters.
Although he's making his first career start at Miller Park, LeBlanc (7-10, 3.46 ERA) has handled the Brewers before. The 26-year-old Louisiana native permitted eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of scoreless ball as the Padres cruised to a 9-0 triumph on April 29.
LeBlanc dazzled in his last outing as well. Staked to an early four-run lead, he allowed just two runs and four hits in seven innings as San Diego secured an 8-2 victory over the NL West rival San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Milwaukee will counter with Yovani Gallardo (11-5, 2.97 ERA), who has fared rather well since returning from his stint on the disabled list.
Idled by a right oblique strain, the 24-year-old right-hander has won three of four prior to a no-decision in his last outing.
Last Friday, he permitted four runs and seven hits in seven innings as the Brewers eventually fell, 5-4, to the Colorado Rockies.
As for news off the field, San Diego placed center fielder Tony Gwynn Jr. on the 15-day disabled list with a broken bone in his right hand. The 27-year-old Gwynn is batting .212 with three home runs and 20 RBIs this season.