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The starting pitchers for the
Arizona Diamondbacks
had their problems. That was before they arrived at Petco Park.
The Diamondbacks look for their first series sweep in San Diego in nearly seven years on Wednesday when they send veteran
Orlando Hernandez
to the mound to meet the Padres.
Arizona (10-11) dropped three of four entering this three-game set as its starters compiled a 9.39 ERA and lasted past the
fifth inning just once in that stretch. That's changed since the Diamondbacks have run into the Padres, who are second-to-last
in the NL with 78 runs.
Brandon Webb
allowed one run and six hits over eight-plus innings in a 4-1 victory in Monday's series opener.
Claudio Vargas
turned in seven stellar innings on Tuesday, giving up four hits in a 7-0 win.
The Diamondbacks are seeking their first sweep at San Diego since July 26-28, 1999 at Qualcomm Stadium. They'll try to do
it behind Hernandez (1-3, 6.33 ERA).
The only time he ever faced the Padres came in Game 2 of the 1998 World Series, and Hernandez held them to one run in seven
innings and got the victory as the Yankees won 9-3 en route to a four-game sweep.
The right-hander won his first start for Arizona this season, but is 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in three outings since.
Hernandez turned in a decent effort his last time out, giving up three runs and seven hits over six innings last Friday in
a 6-3 road loss to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
.
''He was attacking the hitters, had better command of the strike zone early on, kept some balls down and used all his pitches,''
Diamondbacks manager
Bob Melvin
said. ''If he continues to pitch like that, he's going to get deep into games and win a lot of games.''
Arizona received a boost Tuesday from the return of shortstop
Craig Counsell
, who had missed five games with tightness in his right hamstring. Counsell had three hits and scored three runs, and has
gone 10-for-22 while hitting safely in five straight games.
Rookie
Conor Jackson
had one of the best games of his career, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Jackson entered the game in a 2-for-13 slump.
San Diego (8-12) has been limited to 11 hits in the series, only two for extra bases. The Padres have scored two runs or fewer
in five of the first six games on this 10-game homestand.
Woody Williams
(1-0, 3.15) will try to help San Diego salvage the finale. The Padres have won all three of his starts this season, including
a 2-1 victory in 14 innings last Friday over the
New York Mets
.
Williams allowed one run and four hits over eight innings in that outing, his first home start of the season.
The right-hander is 5-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 16 career starts against the Diamondbacks. He went 0-2 with a 3.74 ERA in four
starts against Arizona in 2005.
Williams has gotten the better of
Luis Gonzalez
on most occasions. Gonzalez is hitting .152 (7-for-46) in his career against the 14-year veteran.
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