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Brewers-Padres Preview

May 1, 2010 - 6:45 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Milwaukee (9-14) at San Diego (15-8), 8:35 p.m. EDT

Outstanding pitching is a key reason why San Diego enters May tied for the best record in the NL. The punchless Milwaukee Brewers are becoming quite familiar with the Padres' superb pitching.

On Saturday night, San Diego looks to get the month off to a strong start by continuing their home dominance of the Brewers.

The Padres (15-8) won 12 of 14 to close out April tied with St. Louis for the best record in the NL.

They're also beginning May as the West leaders for the first time since 1998 when they went on to win the pennant before losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

San Diego's surge has been spurred by the staff, which has posted a 2.23 ERA with 121 strikeouts and 42 walks in 125 innings while holding opponents to .229 batting average.

"I think our thinking daily is for us to go out and play solid baseball," manager Bud Black said. "If we do that, we have a chance to win."

Clayton Richard and three relievers combined for a six-hitter in Friday's 3-0 win over Milwaukee (9-14). That came after Wade LeBlanc and Tim Stauffer limited the Brewers to nine hits in a 9-0 series-opening win Thursday.

"We have been pitching well as a unit and I think it's contagious," Richard said of a staff that has a 24-inning scoreless streak. "You don't want to be the guy to screw it up."

San Diego leads the majors with five shutouts, and is in position to put together three in a row for the first time since April 23-26, 1988.

The Brewers might be the ideal opponent if the Padres are going to match that feat. Milwaukee has lost seven of eight, and owns a .220 batting average while being outscored 25-8 during a four-game slide.

The Padres have won 14 of 19 meetings with the Brewers at Petco Park, but will give the ball to Mat Latos (1-2, 6.20 ERA), who will get his first start against Milwaukee in the hopes he can rebound from his worst outing of the season.

The right-hander was tagged for seven runs and seven hits while walking three in 2 2-3 innings of a 10-1 loss at Florida on Monday. That performance came after he allowed seven runs with three walks in 17 2-3 innings over his previous three outings.

"It just wasn't my day," Latos said Monday. "I walked a guy with the bases loaded, something I've never done in my entire lifetime."

The Brewers will counter with Yovani Gallardo (2-2, 3.41), who will try to win his third consecutive start.

The right-hander's back-to-back wins have come against Pittsburgh, as he yielded two unearned runs and eight hits with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Gallardo also helped himself on Monday, getting two hits and three RBIs in a 17-3 win over the Pirates.

Gallardo lost in his only career appearance against the Brewers on Sept. 27, 2007 in Milwaukee.