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Diamondbacks look to stay hot vs. Padres

Apr 19, 2008 - 1:40 PM San Diego (8-9) at Arizona (12-4) 8:10 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) - The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres have been polar opposites thus far.

With the league's best record, the Diamondbacks aim to continue their offensive surge against the Padres in the middle game of a three-game series on Saturday.

Arizona, which is off to the best start in franchise history, leads the league with 102 runs and has outscored its opponents, 21-3, during a three-game winning streak.

That potent offense was on display in Friday's opener as Arizona rocked Greg Maddux for six runs in the first inning en route to a 9-0 victory. Conor Jackson went 4-for-5 with four RBI and finished a double shy of the cycle.

Meanwhile, the Padres were held to three hits and have scored just one run in the last 35 innings.

San Diego was coming off a 2-1, 22-inning loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. The Padres, who are tied with San Francisco for the fewest runs (50) in the league, have scored two or fewer runs in 10 of their last 17 games.

Their struggling offense puts more pressure on Chris Young (1-1, 5.17 ERA) to rebound from one of the worst starts of his career. The 6-10 righthander yielded seven runs and seven hits in three innings of a 11-1 loss to Los Angeles on Friday.

Young had his start pushed back due to stiffness in his elbow.

Arizona will send Edgar Gonzalez (0-1, 4.50) to the hill. Gonzalez, who had dental work earlier this week, allowed three runs and five hits in three innings of a 13-5 loss to Colorado on Sunday.