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Cubs-Padres Preview

Aug 19, 2009 - 6:46 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (60-57) at San Diego (51-70), 10:05 p.m. EDT

More than six weeks still remain in the regular season, but time appears to be running out on the Chicago Cubs' postseason hopes.

Failing to win a game against a pedestrian San Diego Padres team at Petco Park will make any club look like a non-contender.

The Cubs try to avoid their 10th loss in 13 games and their second sweep by the Padres this season in Wednesday's series finale.

With wins in 14 of its first 19 games after the All-Star break, Chicago (60-57) appeared ready for a run at a third straight NL Central title. That no longer looks to be the case.

The Cubs led St. Louis by percentage points Aug. 4, but have dropped nine of 12 since to fall six games behind the first-place Cardinals.

Chicago was hoping to right itself with a series against the Padres (51-70), but has looked flat in dropping the first two in San Diego.

After Kevin Gregg yielded four runs in the ninth inning of Monday's 4-1 defeat and squandered his closer status, the Cubs lost 6-3 on Tuesday. They managed seven hits against Cesar Carrillo, a pitcher making his second major league start.

The Padres, meanwhile, are taking full advantage of Chicago's struggles.

San Diego, which had lost four straight prior to this series, is seeking its first sweep since taking three home games from the Cubs from May 22-24. The Padres have outscored Chicago 24-7 in the first five meetings of the season at Petco.

"We've had trouble scoring runs in this park," manager Lou Piniella said. "I don't know why."

Padres All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a tiebreaking homer in the fifth inning Tuesday - his sixth long ball of the season against Chicago - while rookie Kyle Blanks had another impressive effort.

After winning Monday's contest with a three-run homer off Gregg, Blanks had a two-run inside the park home run Tuesday. He is batting .393 in his last seven games, continuing to show steady improvement since being called up from Triple-A Portland on June 19.

"Being able to see pitching on a more consistent basis, it helps," Blanks said.

It could be tough for Blanks and Gonzalez to continue their hot hitting in the finale against Rich Harden (7-7, 4.30 ERA), who seems to be over his midseason swoon.

Harden, whose start against Pittsburgh on Sunday was rained out, is 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break after going 1-3 with a 7.40 ERA in his previous five outings. The right-hander could have a few more victories, but Chicago's struggling offense has backed him with five total runs of support in his last five starts.

A lack of offense prevented Harden, who retired the first 16 batters and gave up two runs and two hits in seven innings, from notching a victory in last Tuesday's 4-3, 12-inning loss to Philadelphia.

Harden won his only career start against the Padres on May 12, allowing two runs and four hits in six innings of a 6-2 victory at Wrigley Field.

San Diego counters with 21-year-old rookie Mat Latos (4-2, 4.01), who looks to bounce back from the first poor outing of his young career.

After going 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in his first five major league starts, Latos was tagged for seven runs and eight hits in four innings of a 9-2 loss to St. Louis on Friday. The right-hander had allowed a total of eight runs in his first five outings.