San Diego @ Los Angeles Preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2015 ) LA Dodgers 5, San Diego 1

A surprising losing streak by the New York Mets has opened the door for the Los Angeles Dodgers to potentially claim home-field advantage when they meet next week in the National League Divisional Series. The Dodgers look to pull ahead of the Mets in the standings Friday when they begin their final regular-season series with the opener of a three-game home set against the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles (89-70) snapped a four-game slide with a win Tuesday to claim the NL West for the third straight season and ultimately split a four-game set in San Francisco while New York (89-70) was swept in Philadelphia after defeating the league-worst Phillies in 14 of their first 16 meetings this season. The Dodgers must finish with a better record than the Mets in order to secure home field during the NL Division Series, but couldn’t ask for a better opponent to take advantage of their good fortune as they posted an 11-5 mark versus San Diego this season. Los Angeles also owns the second-best home record in majors at 52-26 and figures to catch a break from a shorthanded Padres squad that will likely be without former Dodger Matt Kemp (torn right middle finger tendon) and Justin Upton (neck strain). San Diego was able to end a three-game skid Thursday without its top two run producers, earning a 3-1 victory over Milwaukee to avoid a three-game sweep.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Casey Kelly (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Alex Wood (11-12, 3.89)
Kelly struggled early in his first big-league start in almost three years last Friday, surrendering a grand slam to A.J. Pollock among the six runs and six hits he allowed over five innings in a 6-3 setback versus Arizona. The No. 30 overall selection of the 2008 draft, who has battled through numerous elbow issues in recent years, finished strong by retiring the final 11 hitters he faced. Kelly’s only start against the Dodgers came in his final outing of the 2012 season, taking the loss after yielding five runs in 4 2/3 frames.
After allowing a total of two runs on four hits over 14 1/3 innings in his previous two trips to the mound, Wood was pounded for eight runs on 11 hits over 5 1/3 frames in a 12-5 defeat at Colorado last Friday. The 24-year-old Georgia product has been strong at home since joining the Dodgers, however, splitting four outings while posting a 2.36 ERA. Wood has enjoyed similar success in three appearances (two starts) against the Padres, going 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA despite allowing a .319 batting average against.

WALK-OFFS
1. If 2B Howie Kendrick can hit a home run this weekend, he would be the ninth Los Angeles player to hit at least 10 this season, which would tie the club record set in 2004.
2. Padres LF Wil Myers left Thursday’s victory with left wrist soreness and is questionable for the opener. Myers missed 98 games earlier this season after he had a bone spur removed in the same wrist in June.
3. The Dodgers are hopeful 3B Justin Turner (bruised left forearm), who has missed the last two games, will return at some point in this series after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Padres 2