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Haren, Diamondbacks look to surge against Padres

Jul 4, 2008 - 1:24 PM SAN DIEGO (33-53) at ARIZONA (43-43), 9:40 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks look to build on a dramatic win when they face the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series Friday.

Arizona scored six times in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday for a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The win returned the National League West-leading Diamondbacks to .500.

The home team hands the ball to Dan Haren (8-4, 2.85 ERA), who seeks his fourth straight winning decision.

The winner of the National League Pitcher of the Month Wward for June on Wednesday, Haren, who went 3-0 with an NL-leading 1.32 ERA for the preceding month, allowed a run and five hits in seven inning, but did not earn a decision in a 4-3 loss to Florida last Sunday.

The righthander, who was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in December, yielded just three hits while striking out seven against San Diego in a 9-0 win on April 18 for his only decision in four outings vs. the Padres.

San Diego, which has lost 10 of 11 and has the worst record in the majors, counters with Cha Seung Baek (1-3, 5.43).

The 28-year-old South Korean, who will making his first career appearance vs. Arizona, gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings in a 4-2 loss to Seattle last Saturday. It was the righthander's third straight losing decision.

San Diego is 4-2 against Arizona this season.