Earlier this season, the San Diego Padres were desperate for any win they could get as they languished in last place. Though they've climbed out of the cellar and put together their longest win streak of the season, they're still not picky about how they get their victories.
After completing their first sweep of the year with another narrow win, the Padres go for their sixth straight victory Tuesday night when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series between NL West rivals.
San Diego (28-37) opened the season 12-24, ranking near the bottom of the majors in most offensive statistical categories and not getting the pitching that made it a playoff contender in 2007. The Padres were the last team in the majors to win three straight games, finally putting together a three-game run from May 29-31.
That streak got San Diego out of last place in the league, and the team has managed to stay out of the cellar thanks to some close wins over the last week. The Padres snapped a three-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday -- the first of a major league-record four consecutive victories by the same score.
They extended the win streak Sunday when pinch-hitter Tony Clark hit a three-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning, sending San Diego to an 8-6 victory and a four-game sweep of the New York Mets.
"This gives us confidence and this gives us momentum," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official Web site. "This is the way we expected to play and I think this reinforces what this team and what these guys are about. We haven't seen it over the course of the first two months. We've seen it in smaller sample sizes, but I think this is more indicative of the types of games that we play."
While San Diego's lineup delivered its highest run total in two weeks Sunday, Los Angeles (30-33) struggled at the plate again in a 3-1 loss to the Cubs that night. The Dodgers managed four hits and were held to one or no runs for the ninth time in 17 games.
"I think we get to points where we don't score runs and everybody thinks they have to do something extra-special," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official Web site. "My feeling is we will hit."
That could be a challenge against San Diego's Greg Maddux (3-4, 3.48 ERA). The right-hander, who pitched for the Dodgers for part of the 2006 season, has won six of his last eight starts against them with a 2.68 ERA in that stretch. He held them to two hits in five innings of a 1-0 victory April 13.
The Padres have won Maddux's last four starts, including Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Cubs in which he gave up one run and three hits in seven innings.
The Dodgers will counter with rookie Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 4.91), who's making his first appearance against San Diego. In his third major league start Wednesday, the 20-year-old left-hander gave up two runs in five innings of a 2-1 loss to Colorado -- his first career decision.
"He's still trying to control the situations, and himself," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. "That's what the game's about -- being able to make adjustments within a pitch or two. His stuff's obviously there."
The Dodgers and Padres have split their first six meetings, with the road team winning two of three in each series.