Minnesota @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2011 ) San Diego 4, Minnesota 5

San Diego starter Ian Kennedy still is searching for his first home win of the season as the Padres begin a two-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Kennedy, who is 0-4 with a 4.20 ERA in five starts at pitcher-friendly Petco Park, will try to cool down a Minnesota squad that has won five of its last seven games. The Padres lost to Colorado on Sunday but still have won six of their last nine contests.

Joe Mauer was just 1-for-12 as the Twins took two of three from Seattle over the weekend, and the sight of San Diego pitchers might be even less appealing. Mauer is just 3-for-29 in eight career games against the Padres, including 1-for-9 in two previous contests at Petco Park. San Diego has scored 47 runs over its last nine games after struggling offensively over the first five weeks of the campaign.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN (San Diego)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kevin Correia (1-5, 6.80 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ian Kennedy (2-5, 3.60)

Correia has failed to make it out the fifth inning in three of his last four starts while allowing opponents to bat .328 against him. He has lost four of his last five outings and gave up five runs and nine hits in four frames while falling to Boston in his last outing. Correia is 3-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 22 career appearances (eight starts) against the Padres, for whom he pitched from 2009-10.

Kennedy is coming off his worst outing of the season as he gave up five runs and 11 hits in six innings of a loss to Cincinnati. He has allowed one run in four different starts and has fanned 60 and walked just 12 in 55 frames. Kennedy beat the Twins in 2011, when he gave up four runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota has won the last six meetings, but the teams haven’t faced one another since 2011.

2. Twins 2B Brian Dozier is 13-for-35 with three homers and 11 RBIs during his nine-game hitting streak.

3. Padres OF Seth Smith, who is batting .440 with 14 extra-base hits this month, is 6-for-15 against Correia.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Twins 2