San Diego @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2018 ) Milwaukee 7, San Diego 3

The San Diego Padres are sitting in last place in the National League West but are spending the week trying to impact the race in the NL Central. The Padres, who just finished up a four-game series at the Chicago Cubs, will continue their road trip by visiting the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a three-game set on Tuesday.

San Diego dropped nine of its last 11 games, but both of those wins came over the Cubs, who lead the Brewers by one game in the NL Central entering the week. Milwaukee had a chance to move into a virtual tie for first place on Sunday but missed a chance at a sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 5-4 loss in 11 innings. "I feel good about how we've started the second half," Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the setback. "We've played 17 (games) in a row against teams with winning records and we've come out of it in a good place. It'll be nice for the guys to get a day of rest then come back and start another big series Tuesday." Milwaukee will begin that series on Tuesday with opening day starter Chase Anderson on the mound while the Padres counter with veteran lefty Clayton Richard.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (7-10, 4.99 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (7-7, 3.65)

Richard is 0-4 in his last seven starts and failed to complete six innings in four of his last five turns. The 34-year-old issued three walks in five innings against San Francisco last Tuesday and was charged with two runs on five hits without factoring in the decision. Richard went up against Anderson in the season opener and scattered one run and six hits across seven innings but did not earn a decision.

Anderson was even more sharp in that season opener, yielding one hit over six scoreless frames, but was also left out of the decision in a game Milwaukee went on to win 2-1. The 30-year-old is thriving of late and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last eight starts. Anderson, who did not complete seven innings in any of those last eight turns, permitted two runs and three hits over six frames at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers claimed RHP Jordan Lyles off waivers from the Padres on Sunday.

2. San Diego also lost former All-Star RHP Tyson Ross to the St. Louis Cardinals on a waiver claim Sunday.

3. Brewers LF Christian Yelich is 9-for-16 with two homers and six runs scored over the last four contests.

PREDICTION: Brewers 7, Padres 3