San Diego @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 10, 2016 ) San Diego 1, LA Dodgers 3

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the opportunity to increase their National League West lead over the San Francisco Giants as they begin a stretch of six straight home games against division also-rans. The Dodgers host the San Diego Padres on Friday in the opener of a three-game series and then the Arizona Diamondbacks visit Chavez Ravine for three contests early next week.

The Dodgers hold a two-game lead over the Giants and they know piling up victories is crucial with six of their final 13 games of the season being against San Francisco. "We've kept grinding," closer Kenley Jansen told reporters. "Last year and the year before, we were still in the race, but this is a much tighter race. We know we've got to fight, dealing with injuries and all that stuff, and the Giants are battling." The Padres are long out of the race and hoping All-Star first baseman Wil Myers is on the verge of breaking out of a seven-week slump after homering in Thursday's 9-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves. "I'm just grinding through this right now; it's been a little tough," Myers said to reporters of batting .208 with five homers since the All-Star break after batting .286 with 19 homers before it. "I couldn't be happier with how things have gone so far this year. Obviously I have a lot to learn, but it's been a little different playing this full season, because it's been so long since I have."

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Julio Urias (5-2, 3.71)

Richard is making his fourth consecutive start and he has a brilliant 1.00 ERA in the first three despite a 1-2 record. The 32-year-old, who blanked Miami on eight hits over seven innings in his last outing, is 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA in 18 career appearances (16 starts) against the Dodgers. "I always viewed myself as a starter," Richard, who was a reliever for the Chicago Cubs for most of this season, told reporters. "Clearly, when you're in a different situation, you have to adapt to that and do what you can to try to succeed in that role."

The Dodgers keep talking about scaling back the innings workload for the 20-year-old Urias but he continues to pitch too well to reduce his role. He is 4-0 with a 0.92 over his last four appearances (three starts) and displaying he has the ability to overpower big-league hitters. Urias struck out eight in six innings while beating the Chicago Cubs in his last outing and has fanned 70 in 63 innings overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers outscored the Padres 25-0 in a three-game series to begin the season -- but the teams have split the ensuing 10 meetings.

2. Padres CF Travis Jankowski is one steal away from becoming the first San Diego player to reach 30 in a season since former SS Everth Cabrera (37 in 2013).

3. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who is 9-for-14 with five RBIs versus Richard, batted .330 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in August.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 4, Padres 0