San Diego @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 17, 2016 ) Arizona 7, San Diego 3

Two teams sitting at the bottom of the National League West that need to turn their fortunes around meet Friday when the San Diego Padres visit the Arizona Diamondbacks to begin a three-game set. The Padres have dropped four straight and eight of 10 while Arizona has lost five of seven and is struggling at home (7-17), where it plays the next five contests.

The Diamondbacks, who won two of three at San Diego in mid-April, allowed 25 runs in a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh to start the week and 40 in six contests on their road trip. Paul Goldschmidt is starting to pick it up with nine RBIs in the last 10 games and Chris Owings takes an eight-game hit streak into the series for Arizona. San Diego is a season-high 10 games under .500 and has scored two runs or fewer six times in the past 10 contests. The Padres need to get more production from slugger Matt Kemp, who is struggling through a 3-for-33 slump with 12 strikeouts during an eight-game stretch.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Christian Friedrich (0-1, 2.89 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (2-3, 4.18)

Friedrich yielded three total runs in his first two starts of the season, but walked nine to elevate his pitch count. The former first-round pick in 2008, who spent his first three major league seasons with Colorado, lost 1-0 in a six-inning effort before completing just 3 1/3 frames last time out. Rickie Weeks is 4-for-7 with a homer versus Friedrich, who is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 13 games (one start) against Arizona

Ray comes in off two straight solid starts, allowing four runs (three earned) combined in 12 innings while posting a win and a loss. The 24-year-old Tennessee native boasts 20 strikeouts in his last three outings overall, but has struggled at home with a 6.30 ERA in four starts despite a 1-1 record. Kemp is 3-for-8 with a home run against Ray, who is 0-3 with a 4.96 ERA in three career games versus the Padres.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Diego 1B Wil Myers (forearm), who is 7-for-14 against Arizona this season, could return Friday after being out of the starting lineup the last two games.

2. Arizona OF Yasmany Tomas went 7-for-14 with a pair of homers against the Padres during the three-game series in April.

3. San Diego 3B Yangervis Solarte belted his first homer in his 10th outing of the season on Wednesday and recorded his second multi-hit game.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Padres 3