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The
San Diego Padres
are in first place in the NL West, but they have been struggling since the All-Star break. They will face the worst team since
the break Monday when they open a three-game series against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
at Dodger Stadium.
San Diego (51-47) snapped a four-game losing skid with a 12-inning, 6-5 victory Sunday at San Francisco, avoiding a sweep
to its division rivals.
Terrmel Sledge
hit a game-tying homer leading off the ninth, and
Mike Cameron
had a leadoff triple in the 12th before scoring on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter
Eric Young
.
The Padres have won just three of seven games since the break, but own a half-game lead over the second-place Giants.
''It was big in the sense of our psyche,'' Young said. ''This is July. Every team in this division knows it's going to come
down to the wire in September. Everybody is jockeying for position.''
Adrian Gonzalez
extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games by going 3-for-6 with a double and two runs on Sunday. Gonzalez is batting
.450 (27-for-60) with seven homers and 17 RBIs during his run.
Chris Young
(8-4, 3.59 ERA) looks to bounce back from his worst outing of the year Monday when he makes his first start in 10 days.
Young missed his last scheduled start after a bone scan taken July 17 revealed a stress reaction in his right foot. The right-hander
injured himself while running the bases in San Diego's 15-12, 11-inning loss July 14 to Atlanta, and will pitch with an orthotic
insert in his right shoe. Young allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits in three innings against the Braves.
Young should benefit from pitching on the road, where he is 4-0 in eight starts. His 2.24 road ERA is tied for the best in
the NL with Chicago's
Carlos Zambrano
, and the Padres have won seven of Young's road starts.
The three-year veteran is 0-1 with a 2.95 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Dodgers, all coming this season. He allowed
three runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings in his only career start at Dodger Stadium, not getting a decision in San Diego's
11-5 win on May 3.
San Diego has won five of eight over Los Angeles this season, and the Dodgers are playing their worst baseball of the year.
Los Angeles (47-52) is 1-10 with three shutout losses since the break and has been outscored 57-17 in that span.
The Dodgers lost to St. Louis 6-1 on Sunday, and lost all seven games against the Cardinals this season. It's the first time
in the 115-year rivalry Los Angeles was swept in the season series.
''We've just got to keep working,'' Dodgers manager Grady Little said. ''These guys are professionals and they know how to
correct it. The ball's in their court.''
Derek Lowe
(7-7, 4.19) tries to turn things around for Los Angeles as he looks to avoid losing four straight starts for the first time
in his 10-year career.
Lowe has a 9.60 ERA in his last three outings, and opponents are batting .411 in that span.
The right-hander allowed five runs and 11 hits in a season-low 4 1-3 innings of an 8-0 loss Wednesday to Arizona.
''Those type of starts obviously are not going to get it done,'' said Lowe, who is 1-4 with a 9.59 ERA in his last five games.
''This is not a trial-and-error session. My job is to pitch deep into games and I haven't done it in a month.''
Lowe is 2-2 with a 2.28 ERA in seven career games against the Padres, and scattered two hits in six shutout innings of a 6-5,
11-inning loss to them on April 30.
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