Cincinnati @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2010 ) Cincinnati 3, San Diego 4
The San Diego Padres are showing the type of fight they’ll need to make it back to the postseason.
The Padres will be looking to move one step closer to their goal when they go for a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
It looked like a lock that San Diego would be representing the National league West in the playoffs a month ago, but a 10-game losing streak bridging the end of August and the beginning of September evaporated a six-game edge, leading to the current three-team struggle for two NL playoff spots.
Since snapping that losing streak on Sept. 6, the Padres have not been more than one game ahead or one game behind the San Francisco Giants in the division.
Luckily for both the Giants and the Padres, the Atlanta Braves recently endured a losing streak of their own, bringing the wild card back into play.
San Diego jumped into the wild card lead on Friday when Miguel Tejada’s two-run single in the seventh gave the Padres a 4-3 win over the Reds in the series opener.
They did the same thing Saturday, though it took a little longer. Tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, Chris Denorfia smashed a double off Aroldis Chapman to score Chase Headley with the walk-off run.
The Colorado Rockies did San Diego a favor later Saturday, beating the Giants in extra innings. That pulled the Padres back into first place in the NL West, with the Giants and Braves tied for the wild card one-half game behind.
Cincinnati’s magic number to clinch the NL Central sits at two after the St. Louis Cardinals lost on Saturday.
Homer Bailey (3-3) will be looking to snap a six-start winless streak when he gets the ball for the Reds on Sunday.
The 24-year-old right-hander returned from a stint of nearly three months on the disabled list due to shoulder inflammation and ripped off two strong starts in August, picking up the win in both. But a rough stretch followed, as Bailey allowed at least four runs in each of his next three outings.
Control has been the problem lately for Bailey, who has walked a combined eight batters in nine frames over his last two outings - both no decisions. He faced San Diego back in April and struck out eight while walking one over six innings but still managed to allow four runs on seven hits in a no decision.
Bailey is 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA in three career starts against the Padres.
San Diego will counter with left-hander Clayton Richard, who is coming off the first shutout of his career. The 27-year-old dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, snapping a four-start winless streak by scattering eight hits and striking out six in the complete game.
Richard (13-8) pitched at Cincinnati in April and lasted only 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while walking four. He gave up a solo homer to Scott Rolen in the contest. In two career starts against the Reds, Richard has allowed eight runs - six earned - in 8 1/3 total frames.