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Padres-Diamondbacks Preview

Jul 8, 2009 - 6:43 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

San Diego (35-47) at Arizona (34-49), 3:40 p.m. EDT

Fueled by four straight comeback victories, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in position for their longest winning streak this season and an escape from the NL West cellar.

The Diamondbacks will try to accomplish both by sweeping their three-game series with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

Arizona (35-49) rallied from a one-run deficit Tuesday night and held on for a 4-3 victory. The win clinched their first home series victory since manager Bob Melvin was fired and replaced by A.J. Hinch on May 8.

The Diamondbacks scored the go-ahead runs in the third inning on a pair of errors. In the fourth, Gerardo Parra had an RBI triple and scored on Chad Tracy's sacrifice fly.

The Padres nearly tied the game in the eighth, but Chase Headley's drive bounced off the top of the right-field wall for an RBI double instead of a two-run homer.

"If he had hit it another inch, I imagine it would have been a home run," Hinch said. "That's a home-field advantage. We got a break our way, which was much needed in that spot."

In attempting to win five straight for the first time since an eight-game run from April 4-12, 2008, Arizona hopes Max Scherzer (5-6, 3.73 ERA) can continue his success this season against San Diego and avoid losing his third straight start.

The right-hander earned the victory in a 6-5 win over the Padres on May 26 at Chase Field, and he pitched five scoreless frames in a 6-5 loss in San Diego on June 6.

After posting a 1.83 ERA in three straight wins last month, Scherzer has a 5.23 ERA in consecutive defeats in which the Diamondbacks have committed seven errors.

Seven of the 13 runs he's allowed over his last two outings have been unearned, including two in Friday night's 5-0 loss at Colorado. The three errors and only four singles in the game sparked infielder Mark Reynolds' on-camera outburst to his teammates and Arizona hasn't lost since.

The Diamondbacks also have gotten a huge boost from Parra, who is 10 for 17 (.588) during Arizona's win streak after getting two hits Tuesday. Miguel Montero, who scored on his teammate's triple, also had two hits and has batted . 429 (15 for 35) over his last nine contests.

While attempting to avoid their seventh loss in eight games, the Padres (35-48) will try to remain ahead of the Diamondbacks by helping right-hander Chad Gaudin (4-7, 5.35) get back on track.

Searching for a third win in as many outings Friday, Gaudin gave up five runs in the first inning in a 6-3 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I think I tried to do a little too much too early instead of staying within myself," said Gaudin, who allowed six runs over five innings. "It got me a little erratic in the first, but I settled down and tried to keep us in the ballgame as best I could."

His two starts against the Diamondbacks this season have also been shaky as he is 0-1 with a 10.45 ERA. Gaudin was tagged for seven runs May 25 at Phoenix and five in a loss on June 5 at home.

He came back on June 7 to yield one hit over two scoreless innings in relief in San Diego's 9-6 loss in 18 innings.