Game Preview: Game 150 @ Arizona Diamondbacks

For the first time in September, and just the second time since facing the NL-West-leading Giants one month ago, our Padres have found themselves on the losing end of a series. And it couldn't have come at a worse time. We came into this series with third place dreams on the line. Those dreams may very well still become a reality, but instead of reaching it on our own terms, we will have to rely on the Diamondbacks' opponents over the next couple of weeks to beat them for us and help us reach that 3rd place spot.

Clayton Richard is just the man to get us back in the win column. He is 4-0 in his last five starts, with his sole no-decision being a result of a fluke outing in which he surrendered three runs and failed to get out of the 5th inning. He has pitched at least 6 1/3 innings in seven of his last eight starts, including a couple of 8-inning performances, as well as a complete game shutout.

Richard is undefeated all-time against Arizona, going 5-0 in seven career starts against them. Three of those starts and two of those wins have come this year. Our Padres won all three of his starts against the Dbacks this season, and he pitched phenomenally in all of them. At Petco Park on June 1st, he gave up just one earned run on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, but didn't factor into the decision. He won both of his starts in Arizona, giving up just two runs in 8 2/3 innings on July 2nd and just three runs in eight innings in August 25th. He got six and nine runs, respectively, in those outings at Chase Field, and he hopes our offense can turn it around after a couple of poor outings this series.

But Tyler Skaggs will try to continue suppressing our Padres' offense like Arizona pitching has done all series. Skaggs is making just his sixth Major League start today. He is 1-2 on the season and the Diamondbacks have lost each of his last four starts. He is coming off a couple of rough outings, giving up five runs on five hits in each of his last two starts and only lasting seven innings combined. One of those starts was against our Friars at Petco Park on September 7th. He only lasted three innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen.