San Diego @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( May 14, 2016 ) San Diego 8, Milwaukee 7

The San Diego Padres let up just a bit on the pitching side on Saturday but the offense picked up the slack. The Padres will try to get the offense and the pitching together in the same contest and earn a win in the four-game series when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the finale on Sunday.

San Diego pitchers allowed a total of one run in three games – two wins – before breaking out with the bats in Saturday’s 8-7 triumph. Derek Norris and Melvin Upton Jr. each homered in the top of the 12th to help the Padres squeeze out the win and cap off a contest that saw them go deep four times and record four doubles. The Brewers, who scored one run in the first two games of the series, have dropped three of four and failed to take advantage of San Diego’s “bullpen game” on Saturday. Milwaukee is trying to take advantage of the Padres and earn at least a split of the series before the major league-best Chicago Cubs come to town to finish out the homestand, beginning on Tuesday.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Cesar Vargas (0-2, 3.54 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (1-3, 6.29)

Vargas suffered through the first poor start of his brief major league career when he was lit up for six runs on 10 hits and three walks in four innings at the Cubs on Tuesday. The 24-year-old rookie allowed a total of two runs in 16 1/3 innings over his first three starts but could not get enough run support to come away with a win. Vargas has yet to go past the sixth inning and issued three walks in each of his four turns.

Davies followed up his first quality start with his first win, limiting the Miami Marlins to two runs on five hits and three walks in five innings on Tuesday. The 23-year-old yielded two runs in six frames against the Los Angeles Angels in his previous start but was held out of the decision in a game the Brewers went on to lose 7-3. Davies enjoyed the best start of his young career at San Diego on Sept. 30 last season when he breezed through seven scoreless innings in a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Padres recalled RHP Leonel Campos from Triple-A on Saturday and optioned OF Alex Dickerson, and Campos ended up with the win in relief.

2. San Diego 1B Wil Myers (leg) was removed in the ninth inning and is day-to-day.

3. Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun (wrist) was held out of the lineup on Saturday and is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Padres 5, Brewers 4