Arizona @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2018 ) San Diego 0, Arizona 6

The Arizona Diamondbacks bid to secure a winning record this season Friday when they host the San Diego Padres (64-95) in the opener of a three-game series at Chase Field. That's likely little consolation for the Diamondbacks (81-78), who began September in first place in the National League West before a series of four-game losing skids dropped them out of postseason contention.

"You always want to finish up strong. It's been a really tough month for us, to say the least, but our last home game here we came out and played some really good baseball," said A.J. Pollock, who belted a three-run homer in Arizona's 7-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Pollock has gone deep three times during his five-game hitting streak and is 18-for-52 with three homers, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored in the season series versus San Diego. The cellar-dwelling Padres might not have much riding on the final three contests of the campaign, however Freddy Galvis doesn't see it that way as he closes in on playing in all 162 games for the second straight year. "I feel like when I'm on the field I can help the team to win some games," Galvis told reporters. "I can do it with the bat, I can do it with the glove, I can do it with my mind. Playing 162 is really important to me."


TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (11-7, 3.23 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Lauer (6-7, 4.60)

Corbin dropped his second straight start and fell to 1-3 in his last seven outings Saturday after allowing four runs on five hits in three innings of a 5-1 setback versus Colorado. The 29-year-old issued four walks in that contest, matching the sum total of his previous five starts. Corbin owns a 1-0 mark and has struck out 19 in two starts this season against San Diego despite permitting six runs in 12 innings.

Lauer posted his first win since July 10 after yielding one run on four hits in five innings of a 5-3 triumph at the Dodgers last Friday. The 23-year-old has been taken deep in each of his last two outings, but that wasn't the case in his lone encounter with Arizona this season. Lauer, who allowed one run in five frames of a 6-3 win versus the Diamondbacks on July 5, has permitted three runs or fewer in 13 of his last 15 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Diego CF Travis Jankowski, who is 6-for-38 against Arizona this season, homered to highlight his three-hit performance in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over San Francisco.

2. Diamondbacks RF David Peralta, who hit his 30th homer Wednesday, is 9-for-40 against the Padres this season.

3. San Diego's 29 home wins are the fewest in the National League and second-worst in the majors (Baltimore).

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 3, Padres 2