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Padres look to lock up wild card vs. Brewers

Sep 30, 2007 - 2:46 PM San Diego (89-72) at Milwaukee (82-79) 2:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres will get another chance to lock up a postseason berth.

The Padres will attempt to get that victory and avoid having to play an extra game when they conclude the regular season against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Thanks in part to the heroics by the offspring of the franchise's most regarded player, San Diego lost on Saturday in 11 innings, 4-3.

The Padres had a 3-2 edge in the ninth inning, but All-Star closer Trevor Hoffman blew the lead when Tony Gwynn Jr. tripled in the tying run. Rookie Vinny Rottino drove in the game winner two innings later.

Although San Diego trails Arizona (90-71) by one game in the National League West, the Diamondbacks wrapped up the division title with a win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. In the wild card, the Padres own a slim one-game edge over the Rockies (88-73), New York Mets (88-73) and Philadelphia Phillies (88-73).

If the Padres lose on Sunday, they would be involved in a tiebreaker depending on the results of the Rockies, Mets and Phillies.

San Diego will send veteran Brett Tomko (4-11, 5.39 ERA) to the mound. The righthander was signed off waivers on September 4, and therefore is not eligible for the postseason roster, but has been solid since coming to the Padres.

Tomko is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in six games - three starts - in September. He made one start this season against the Brewers while with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 21, surrendering five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to suffer a loss.

The Brewers will counter with righthander Jeff Suppan (11-12, 4.57). The veteran went two months without a win between July and August, but has recovered to go 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA in five September outings.

He has struggled in his career against the Padres, owning a 3-3 mark with a 6.26 ERA in eight starts.