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Peavy to make his return for Padres

Jun 12, 2008 - 12:58 PM LA Dodgers (31-34) at San Diego (29-38) 3:35 p.m. EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres will welcome back ace Jake Peavy when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of a three-game set Thursday.

Peavy (4-3, 2.91 ERA) has been on the disabled list since May 15 with a strained right elbow. He lost his last two starts before heading to the DL, allowing four runs and seven hits in four innings in his final outing May 14 at Chicago.

The reigning National League Cy Young award winner threw a four-inning simulated game Saturday and reported no ill-effects.

Peavy is returning to a Padres team that has been hot of late, winning five of their last six games to push their record to 19-18 at Petco Park. San Diego swept a four-game series from the New York Mets over the weekend.

The Dodgers took the series opener, 7-2, but the Padres recovered on Wednesday to win 4-1 as Randy Wolf allowed just four hits in seven innings and Edgar Gonzalez and Khalil Greene each hit solo homers.

Los Angeles will send Japanese righthander Hiroki Kuroda (3-5, 3.49) to the mound. The rookie is coming off his first major league shutout Friday when he allowed just four hits while striking out 11 against the Chicago Cubs.

Kuroda earned a win against San Diego in his major league debut on April 4, allowing one run and three hits in seven frames while striking out four and not issuing a walk.