It’s a classic case of opposites being paired by the baseball schedule the next three days in San Diego, where the streaking Padres host the plunging Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Padres have won the first seven games of their 10-game homestand. During the run, they have hit 16 doubles and 14 home runs. Earlier this season, they had a franchise-record 12-game home winning streak. Overall, the Padres are 28-14 at home.
Arizona, meanwhile, is riding a major-league-record 23-game road losing streak. Recently, the Diamondbacks had a franchise-record 17-game overall losing skid, and earlier they endured 13- and six-game losing streaks.
The Diamondbacks have lost 19 of their past 20 games and are 6-42 since they stood at 15-13 through May 2.
Arizona will look to get back on track Friday behind right-hander Corbin Martin (0-2, 8.62 ERA), who will make his first start this month. He optioned to Triple-A Reno on May 27 after losing each of his two starts for the Diamondbacks, then was recalled on June 14 and has made two appearances in long relief since.
He will oppose resurgent right-hander Chris Paddack (4-5, 4.10), who hopes to win his third start in a row.
Paddack is 0-2 in his two starts against the Diamondbacks this season, having given up eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings for a 4.82 ERA and a 1.393 WHIP. Over his past two games, though, Paddack has yielded just four runs on 12 hits and a walk with 20 strikeouts in 11 innings.
“Paddack has been incredibly disciplined with the work he’s been doing,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “He’s responded exactly how you want to see. He’s concentrated on going day to day, start to start in his work and approach. He’s done a great job of knocking his tasks out.
“Knowledge and improvement is a part of growth and development. To use resources and keep growing is critical, and that is what Chris has done.”
Martin will be facing the Padres for the first time in his two-season major league career. In four appearances (two starts) this season, the 25-year-old has given up 15 runs on 20 hits and 12 walks with 13 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.
Since returning from the minors, he has given up six runs and allowed 16 baserunners in 6 2/3 innings.
“I think I’m too much in the zone with two strikes,” Martin said recently. “I would say that at some point I try to be too perfect with two strikes, and that’s when I’m losing guys.”
The Padres, fresh off a three-game home sweep of the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, are 4-2 this season against the Diamondbacks. San Diego won three of four against visiting Arizona to open the season, then split a pair at Phoenix in late April.
The Diamondbacks haven’t won a road game since April 25, when they swept a doubleheader at Atlanta. In the second game, Arizona left-hander Madison Bumgarner allowed no hits while going the distance in a seven-inning, 7-0 win.