Padres look to start off the home stand on a high note vs. Cubs

The San Diego Padres have headed back home to start a six-game home stand tonight against the Chicago Cubs. What happened on the road trip (finishing with a winning record) needs to start happening more consistently if the Padres want to be a postseason team.

In the month of May, San Diego didn’t win consecutive series. They won three of them (if you include Miami which ended June 1) and lost six. That’s how you have a 10-16 record at the end of the month.

The offense’s inconsistency continued. There were games where they scored nine runs then failed to get a single runner in scoring position the next night. That’s not what World Series contenders do. We’re now into June. It’s not early.

How will the Padres start to win more series? Performing at the plate like they did yesterday would help. San Diego went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled three times, including a bases clearing double in the sixth. Gary Sanchez homered for the second time in as many games. The 5-6-7 hitters combined for five hits, four runs and six RBI.

“We started scoring some runs, string in some longer innings,” Xander Bogaerts said after the game.

Those long innings were expected to come more frequently from this offense. We’ll see if those will start this month.

Here are the pitching matchups for this unique four-game series that ends on Monday:

Tonight: Michael Wacha (SD) vs. Jameson Taillon (CHC)

First Pitch: 6:40 pm PT, MLB-San Diego Padres, 97.3 The Fan

Wacha’s last outing (May 27): 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Taillon’s last outing (May 27): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Saturday: Yu Darvish (SD) vs. Drew Smyly (CHC)

First Pitch: 7:10 pm PT, MLB-San Diego Padres, 97.3 The Fan

Darvish’s last outing (May 28): 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Smyly’s last outing (May 28): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Sunday: Ryan Weathers (SD) vs. Marcus Stroman (CHC)

First Pitch: 2:30 pm PT, MLB-San Diego Padres, 97.3 The Fan

Weathers’ last outing (May 30): 4 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Stroman’s last outing (May 29): 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Monday: Blake Snell (SD) vs. Kyle Hendricks (CHC)

First Pitch: 6:10 pm PT, MLB-San Diego Padres, 97.3 The Fan

Snell’s last outing (May 31): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Hendrick’s last outing (May 30): 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K