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Padres-Diamondbacks Preview

Sep 1, 2010 - 6:00 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Diego (76-54) at Arizona (53-79), 6:10 p.m. EDT

Mired in their longest losing stretch of the season, the NL West-leading San Diego Padres are not about to panic.

The visiting Padres look to avoid a seventh consecutive loss and being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

San Diego's skid began with an 11-5 loss to Arizona on Thursday and continued with a 7-4 defeat at Chase Field on Tuesday.

"You are going to have streaks like this," Tuesday's loser Kevin Correia said. "It is coming at a bad time but we still have a lot of leeway."

Despite their recent struggles, the Padres (76-55) remain confident with a four-game lead over San Francisco in the West.

"These guys have a good perspective on things," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official website. "We're in a position now that we'd rather be in than the alternative."

The Padres continue to play poorly in Arizona, losing 12 of 17 at Chase Field since the start of last season.

Nick Hundley had three hits and two RBIs, but San Diego could not hold an early two-run lead over last-place Arizona (54-79), which won five of six to conclude August with a 16-13 record.

"The goal is to finish strong and make it hard on the other teams," said Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero, who had two hits and two RBIs on Tuesday.

The Padres likely need shortstop Miguel Tejada to contribute after going 0 for 5 on Tuesday. He is 4 for 25 in the last six games.

Though San Diego starting pitchers rank among the best in the majors with a 3.66 ERA, they have allowed 29 runs in 31 2-3 innings during their six-game skid.

Scheduled starter Mat Latos (13-5, 2.29 ERA) looks to change that trend.

Latos has given up four runs and struck out 31 in 26 innings while going 2-0 in his last four starts. The right-hander allowed one run in seven innings of a 3-2, 12-inning loss to Philadelphia on Friday, the 13th straight start he's yielded two or fewer runs.

"He's throwing the ball great," Black said. "It's consistently happening from start to start. He's stringing together some outstanding pitched games."

In his only previous appearance against the Diamondbacks, Latos allowed two hits and struck out six over six scoreless innings of a 10-1 win at Arizona on Aug. 8.

Opposing a potential ace like Latos should not be intimidating for Arizona rookie Barry Enright (5-2, 2.44) as he makes his first appearance against the Padres.

The right-hander has outpitched All-Star game starter Ubaldo Jimenez and two-time defending NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum while giving up one run in 13 2-3 innings to win his past two outings. Enright allowed six hits in seven innings of a 6-0 win at San Francisco on Friday to improve to is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA in his last eight starts.

"He has shown before that he handles that type of pressure very well," manager Kirk Gibson told the Diamondbacks' official website.

After homering twice in Arizona's 7-2 win Monday, Mark Reynolds hit a two-run shot Tuesday. The third baseman is 4 for 6 with seven RBIs in the series. He has hit six of his 32 home runs this season versus San Diego.