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Diamondbacks shoot for third straight win in opener with Padres

May 16, 2011 - 2:59 PM (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to match their longest winning streak of the season tonight when they open a brief two-game series with the San Diego Padres at Chase Field.

The Diamondbacks have won their last two outings since a five-game losing streak, a rut in which they lost each game by a single run. However, they turned the tables to snap the skid on Saturday with a 1-0 win over the Dodgers, then won the series with yesterday's 4-1 triumph.

Xavier Nady and Ryan Roberts hit back-to-back homers in the second inning to back Ian Kennedy, who went six innings and allowed one run on four hits with eight strikeouts.

"Today was a battle throwing strikes. My command wasn't as good and my curveball wasn't as good early, but I had good defense behind me," Kennedy said of his performance.

Arizona is hoping to win a season-high three straight for the first time since April 17-20, but may need starter Armando Galarraga to end his own losing streak to do so.

The right-hander is winless in his last four outings since claiming a victory in each of his first three starts of the season. He is 0-3 with a 5.03 earned run average over his current winless stretch and is coming off a loss in San Francisco on Wednesday. Galarraga yielded four runs on eight hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings of work.

Galarraga, who is 3-3 with a 5.50 ERA on the season in seven starts, faced the Padres for the first time in his career on May 6, but the 29-year-old did not factor into the decision of Arizona's 4-3 loss in extra innings. Galarraga lasted a season-low 4 1/3 innings, getting charged with three runs -- two earned -- on three hits and six walks.

Like Galarraga, Padres starter Clayton Richard will also be looking for his first victory in some time. The left-hander hasn't won since his season debut on April 2 and picked up his fourth losing start in a row in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Despite getting a fair number of ground balls, Richard yielded season highs of eight runs (seven earned) and 10 hits over just 3 1/3 innings.

"It's just unfortunate when you feel like you're making pitches and they're doing what you want them to do," said Richard on San Diego's website.

The 27-year-old is 1-4 on the season with a 4.79 ERA in eight starts and has never lost to the D-Backs, going 2-0 in three starts despite a 5.63 ERA.

Richard will hope for similar success to what Mat Latos had in Sunday's rubber match with the Colorado Rockies. Latos was able to pick up his first win of the season by giving up just two runs -- one earned -- on four hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings of an 8-2 triumph, San Diego's second straight and third in four games.

"I think that is a huge weight off of his shoulders," said San Diego manager Bud Black about Latos, a 14-game winner last year who was winless in 11 straight starts dating back to last year.

"But it's just one game and he needs to build off of this."

Ryan Ludwick's three-run homer helped back Latos and Jason Bartlett added a two-run double during a five-run seventh inning.

The Padres took two of three from the Diamondbacks at home back in early May.