Game Thread: 07/15 Padres @ Dodgers

A 10-game losing streak at Chavez Ravine, as well as the Dodgers' reign atop the NL West, came to an end in an epic way last night as our Padres did some ruining in their 7-6 win over L.A. Today our boys will try to get a win streak going and take the final game of this series.

Jason Marquis will take the mound for our Padres. His last time out, in a loss to Cincinnati while pitching on three days' rest, he gave up back-to-back home runs, which yielded three runs, on seven total hits over five innings. He will be looking for his second win as a Padre, and there is no better opponent against which to do so than the Dodgers. Despite losing his last three straight starts at Dodger Stadium, he is 5-4 in 13 career starts against Los Angeles and boasts his second best lifetime ERA against them. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier have delivered for the Dodgers in these two games since returning from the DL, but they haven't had the best success against Marquis, combining for just 3-for-38 against him in the past.

As for our offense, they were probably happy to see the Dodgers lineup today, as Chad Billingsley was announced as a late scratch this morning. Chris Capuano will make the start in his place. He is coming off a loss in Arizona, where he gave up season highs in hits (nine) and earned runs allowed (five) through five innings of work. This season he hasn't fared too well against our Padres. In two starts against us, both back in April at Petco Park, he was tagged for a total of seven earned runs in 11 innings.

Chris Denorfia, who celebrates his 32nd birthday today, will lead off for our Padres. Here's the rest of the lineup via Corey Brock:

#Padres lineup vs. #Dodgers: Denorfia 9, Forsythe 4, Headley 5, Quentin 7, Alonso 3, Maybin 8, Cabrera 6, Baker 2, Marquis 1.

— Follow The Padres (@FollowThePadres) July 15, 2012

Even though the Dodgers have dominated us in the win column this season, our boys haven't been as bad as the record shows. Four of L.A.'s eight wins came as narrowly as one run, so our Padres have kept it close, and hopefully, like last night, they find themselves on the winning side again today.

GO FRIARS!! KEEP THE FAITH!! BEAT LA!!