Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2016 ) LA Dodgers 5, San Diego 6

The San Diego Padres will be watching the playoffs for the 10th straight year, but rookie outfielder Hunter Renfroe is making sure they end the season on a high note. Renfroe looks to continue his torrid start Thursday as San Diego aims for a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who trail Washington by two games with four to play in the race for home-field advantage in the National League Division Series.

The 24-year-old Renfroe is 4-for-8 with three home runs and 11 RBI in the first two games of the series, highlighted by the firsthomer to reach the roof of the Western Metal building at Petco Park, which opened in 2004. Rookie center fielder Manuel Margot had two hits from the leadoff spot in Wednesday’s 6-5 victory and could join Renfroe in next year’s Opening Day lineup for the Padres, who close out the season with a weekend series at Arizona. Veteran second baseman Chase Utley has homered in back-to-back games for the Dodgers, who clinched their fourth consecutive division title Sunday and hold the tiebreaker with Washington for home-field advantage. “I think considering the way we've played at home this year, we've put a lot of value on it (home-field advantage),” manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “It's not the end-all, be-all. But where we are right now in the won-loss, we’re going to try to catch the Nationals.”

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Julio Urias (5-2, 3.53 ERA) vs. Padres LH Christian Friedrich (5-11, 4.66)

Urias has only pitched 11 innings over three games in September but could find himself in the team’s playoff rotation with a solid outing Thursday. “I do see him on the postseason roster in some capacity,” Roberts told reporters. “But outside of that I just don't know where, and I can't say how it's going to end up for him.” The 20-year-old rookie last pitched Sept. 21 against San Francisco, allowing one run in two innings of relief.

Friedrich is set to make his team-leading 23rd start of the season after yielding two runs on three hits over seven frames against the Giants last Thursday. The 28-year-old has thrown a career-high 123 2/3 innings, eclipsing the 84 2/3 innings he worked as a rookie with Colorado in 2012. Adrian Gonzalez is 5-for-12 with a home run against Friedrich, who is 0-1 with a 7.32 ERA in 13 career games (three starts) against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Roberts said SS Corey Seager will not be in the starting lineup Thursday as the team looks to rest the NL rookie of the year favorite.

2. San Diego 3B Yangervis Solarte is 18-for-47 during his season-high 13-game hitting streak.

3. Dodgers LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow Wednesday but is expected to be ready for next season.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Padres 4