San Diego @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 16, 2016 ) San Diego 1, Tampa Bay 15

The Tampa Bay Rays rank in the bottom third of the majors in runs scored but one would have a hard time convincing the San Diego Padres of that fact. The Rays blasted five home runs in Tuesday's 15-1 demotion of the visiting Padres and look to complete a three-game interleague sweep in Wednesday afternoon's series finale.

Tampa Bay is going for its fourth consecutive victory behind a sizzling offense that set a franchise record for most runs scored during a three-game stretch with 35. Brad Miller continues to feast on San Diego pitching, swatting a pair of homers in Tuesday's romp to boost his numbers against the Padres to 14-for-34 with five homers and nine RBIs in 10 games. While the Rays are percolating at the plate, San Diego is limping to the finish line of its nine-game road trip. The Padres have been outscored 23-3 in the first two games of the series and have managed only six runs during their four-game losing streak.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Christian Friedrich (4-8, 4.84 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (6-16, 4.39)

Friedrich improved to 4-2 on the season after winning at Cincinnati on June 23, but he's been a prolonged drought since, going 0-6 over his last eight turns while allowing at least four runs in six of them. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his last three outings, losing his last two while permitting four runs both times. Not surprisingly, Friedrich has struggled away from home with a 2-5 record and 4.66 ERA.

Archer leads the majors in losses and is closing in on a dubious franchise record, sitting two defeats shy of Tanyon Sturtze's single-season mark of 18 in 2002. The 27-year-old is coming off a clunker on the road at the New York Yankees, allowing five runs over six innings, but he had recorded quality starts in each of his previous four outings. Archer is only 2-8 at Tropicana Park but sports a 2.91 ERA and .212 batting average against.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays 3B Evan Longoria, who went 3-for-5 with a homer Tuesday, will play in his 1,236th game Wednesday to break Carl Crawford's franchise record.

2. Padres C Derek Norris is in a 5-for-53 tailspin with zero extra-base hits.

3. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe was scratched due to back spasms and SS Matt Duffy left Tuesday's game due to mild soreness in his Achilles.

PREDICTION: Rays 7, Padres 3