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Struggling Padres hope to end slide at Reds

Jul 21, 2008 - 1:58 PM San Diego (37-62) at Cincinnati (48-52) 7:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres are struggling to find ways to win games.

San Diego hopes to avoid a seventh straight loss when it visits the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

The Padres were swept in a four-game series at St. Louis over the weekend, in which the Cardinals won three of the games by coming from behind late in the contest.

San Diego blew a five-run lead in a 6-5 setback on Saturday, and St. Louis scored seven runs in the final two innings in Sunday's 9-5 win, capped by Aaron Miles' game-winning grand slam. The Cardinals also scored four times in the bottom eighth Friday to win that game, 11-7.

Josh Banks (2-4, 3.20 ERA) will take the mound for the Padres looking for his first win since May 31.

The righthander pitched out of the bullpen in his last outing, giving up a run in one inning. Banks took the loss in his last start, giving up three runs over six innings against Arizona on July 6.

The Reds, who split a four-game series with the New York Mets over the weekend, will counter with righthander Homer Bailey (0-3, 7.00).

The 22-year-old lost his first three starts this season but is hoping to build off his last outing in which he allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings at Milwaukee but did not factor in a 3-2 loss on July 13.