Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( May 1, 2016 ) San Diego 0, LA Dodgers 1

The Los Angeles Dodgers are back at .500 after losing four of their last five games but hope to get untracked Friday when they head to San Diego to begin a three-game series against the struggling Padres. Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is expected to miss his fourth straight game because of tightness in his lower back but could return Saturday.

The Padres have lost four in a row under first-year manager Andy Green and were held to a total of three runs and 13 hits while being swept in three games by San Francisco. “We got outplayed this whole series; we got out-pitched,” pitcher James Shields told reporters. “We need to clean that up, bottom line. I’m not making any excuses. We just need to get better.” The Padres opened the season by losing three straight to the Dodgers by a combined score of 25-0 and will need to find a way to slow down shortstop Corey Seager, who is batting .381 (16-for-42) during his 10-game hitting streak. Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, who spent the first three seasons of his career with San Diego, enters the series mired in a 5-for-45 slump.

TV: 10:40 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Scott Kazmir (3-3, 4.89 ERA) vs. Padres LH Christian Friedrich (0-1, 1.50)

Kazmir recorded his best outing of the season Saturday by holding St. Louis to three runs while striking out seven over 8 2/3 innings. “Everything is going better and better,” Kazmir told reporters. “I’m excited. I’m going to take a lot of positives out of this outing and keep it going.” Alexei Ramirez is 8-for-24 with a home run against the 32-year-old Texas native, who is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against the Padres, including six scoreless innings April 5.

Making his first start since July 2014, Friedrich tossed six innings of one-run ball in his Padres debut last Friday at Milwaukee. The 28-year-old has lost his last 11 decisions dating to 2012 but was encouraged after throwing a career-high 116 pitches against the Brewers. Friedrich was signed by San Diego this spring after being released by Colorado and owns a 9.00 ERA in 10 career relief appearances against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Padres are 1-22 when trailing after six innings.

2. The Dodgers optioned RHP Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City and purchased the contract of RHP Chin-Hui Tsao.

3. Padres INF Yangervis Solarte (hamstring) began a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Thursday and could return this weekend.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Padres 4