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Diamondbacks-Padres Preview

Sep 26, 2015 - 6:28 AM Both starting pitchers will be seeking a little redemption when the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres continue their series at Petco Park on Saturday.

Jeremy Hellickson looks to rebound from a rocky performance against the Padres last week, while Robbie Erlin will try to move past a forgettable return to the majors.

After missing almost a month due to a strained left hamstring, Hellickson (9-10, 4.73 ERA) only recorded three outs while allowing five runs in a 10-3 home loss to San Diego on Sept. 14. The right-hander later called it the worst inning of his career.

"It wasn't the return I was looking for, that's for sure," he told MLB's official website.

Hellickson managed to bounce back when he gave up two runs and three hits over five innings in a 5-1 loss at San Francisco on Sunday. Now he'll try to build on that performance in a rematch with a San Diego team that hasn't treated him well all season.

The 28-year-old has gone 1-3 with an 8.37 ERA in five meetings. Cory Spangenberg is 4 for 7 with a triple and a double off him, while Wil Myers has gone 4 for 8 with two home runs and Justin Upton 5 for 11 with two homers.

Derek Norris and Alexi Amarista, however, are 3 for 25 lifetime in the matchup.

Myers, Amarista and Jedd Gyorko drove in the only runs Friday as San Diego (72-82) fell two games back of third-place Arizona and clinched its fifth straight losing season.

Erlin (0-1, 21.00) hoped to make a positive impression on the Padres on Saturday in his first big-league start since Sept. 28, 2014. Instead, he gave up seven runs and nine hits while lasting just three innings in a 10-2 loss at Colorado.

The left-hander, who missed most of last season with elbow soreness, is one of the club's top prospects but posted a 5.60 ERA over 24 starts at Triple-A El Paso this year.

Erlin gets another opportunity at Petco Park, where he's 4-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 11 starts. He also went 1-0 with a 2.08 mark in two 2013 outings against Arizona (74-80).

The 24-year-old will have to be careful with Diamondbacks All-Stars A.J. Pollock (.318) and Paul Goldschmidt (.318), who are tied for fifth in the NL batting race.

Goldschmidt had an RBI double in the opener to help Arizona snap a four-game skid. He's 8 for 20 with three homers in his last five. Pollock had his first career grand slam and a career-high five RBIs. He has the NL's second-best average since Aug. 10 at .353.

"He's had a great second half," manager Chip Hale said. "He's probably been our hottest hitter the last month and a half."

The Diamondbacks will try to improve to 6-3 on a 10-game road swing, though they're one defeat away from their fourth consecutive season without a winning record.

Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed could miss his fourth straight game with a sore lower back.

San Diego third baseman Yangervis Solarte might be able to return after sitting Friday due to a right hamstring cramp. He's hitting .328 over his last 16 games versus Arizona.