Los Angeles @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2018 ) LA Dodgers 4, San Diego 2

One day after being named to his first All-Star team, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling takes the mound Thursday in the finale of a four-game series against the host San Diego Padres. Stripling joined teammates Matt Kemp and Kenley Jansen on the National League roster after being named as a replacement for St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas, who is pitching on Sunday and will be unavailable for Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.

Kenta Maeda pitched into the sixth inning and struck out nine batters in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in 10 games. Max Muncy lost the All-Star Final Vote contest to Milwaukee’s Jesus Aguilar but recorded two hits in the win and is 12-for-36 with four homers over his last 10 contests. San Diego fell 15 games under .500 despite another strong effort from Austin Hedges, who notched two hits and is 9-for-21 with two blasts and five RBIs in his last six starts. Wil Myers hit six home runs over a four-game stretch for the Padres before going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Wednesday’s loss.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Ross Stripling (7-2, 2.22 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (5-7, 4.41)

Stripling started the season in the Dodgers’ bullpen but has been the team’s most consistent starter with a stellar 103-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 89 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old recorded his team-high seventh win on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing one run and three hits over six frames. Jose Pirela is 5-for-6 with a home run against Stripling, who is 2-3 with a 3.04 ERA in nine career games (three starts) versus San Diego.

Ross lost his fourth straight decision on Saturday as he was battered by Arizona for eight runs and seven hits in two innings. “The All-Star break is coming at a nice time with just one more start before the break,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “He’s thrown some innings this year, but the velocity is there, the expectation for good outings is still there.” The 31-year-old Ross is 0-7 with a 3.49 ERA in 11 career games (nine starts) against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Muncy will face the Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez in the first round of next Tuesday’s Home Run Derby.

2. San Diego has scored fewer than three runs in five of its last nine games.

3. The Dodgers claimed LHP Zac Rosscup off waivers from Colorado and designated LHP Edward Paredes for assignment.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Padres 3