San Diego @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2015 ) San Diego 4, Arizona 6
Justin Upton has been tormenting his former club this season and looks to serve another reminder when the San Diego Padres visit the host Arizona Diamondbacks in Wednesday's finale of their three-game series. Upton smacked his fifth homer of the season against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, reaching the upper deck in left field, to help raise his average to .310 with nine extra-base hits in 58 at-bats versus Arizona.
Upton has belted 26 homers this campaign and has an outside shot at matching the career-best 31 he hit for the Diamondbacks in 2011. The homer didn't prevent the Padres from dropping to 4-11 this month as the team that was well-hyped prior to the season has been a colossal disappointment. Arizona also has been sliding as Tuesday's 6-4 victory was just its fourth in the last 12 games. A.J. Pollock smashed a go-ahead three-run homer for his third blast against the Padres this season.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (5-15, 4.27 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (4-11, 3.54)
Cashner has lost three straight decisions and five of his last six. He allowed 14 hits and nine walks in just 10 2/3 innings while losing his last two turns. Cashner is 4-5 with a 3.20 ERA in 16 career appearances (12 starts) against Arizona, including a 1-3 mark and 2.63 ERA in four outings this year.
Ray lost seven consecutive decisions before tossing five scoreless innings in defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last outing. He dropped back-to-back starts against San Diego in June as he struck out 12 in 11 2/3 frames while compiling a 3.86 ERA. Ray is 1-5 with a 4.91 ERA in eight home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres RF Matt Kemp is 1-for-15 over his last four games since his career-high 31-game streak of reaching base safely ended.
2. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt, who has homered just once in his last 10 games, is 7-for-20 with a blast against Cashner.
3. San Diego C Derek Norris sat out Tuesday, a day after injuring his right hand.
PREDICTION: Padres 9, Diamondbacks 7