Arizona starter Patrick Corbin has yet to suffer a loss this season. He hopes that early-season success can land him his first career victory over San Diego on Saturday night when the Diamondbacks and Padres resume a three-game series.
Corbin is off to an excellent 3-0 start with a 1.91 earned run average and has not allowed more than two runs in any of his five outings this season. He has allowed zero walks in his past two appearances, following up a pair of no- decisions with Sunday's win over the Colorado Rockies.
The 23-year-old held the Rockies to a pair of runs and nine hits over 6 2/3 innings with five strikeouts.
"He didn't walk anybody. He just keeps the ball in play," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said of Corbin. "We made some good plays behind him today. We took care of the ball really good."
Corbin is 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA in his career versus the Padres over three games, including two starts.
It will be the opposite for scheduled San Diego hurler Clayton Richard, who is hoping his slow start to the season won't halt his undefeated record versus the Diamondbacks. The lefty is 6-0 lifetime in this series in eight starts with a 4.06 ERA.
Richard is coming off back-to-back losses in which he has allowed 11 runs over 7 1/3 innings. After giving up six runs over 1 2/3 frames versus the Milwaukee Brewers on April 23, the 29-year-old yielded another five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 frames against the Chicago Cubs on Monday. He was touched for back- to-back homers in the second inning, but both were solo shots.
Still, Richard fell to 0-3 with a 7.94 ERA through five starts this season.
He'll try to keep the Padres in the win column tonight after the club held on for a 7-6 victory in the series opener.
San Diego took a four-run lead into the ninth inning before Arizona put two runners on. Padres manager Bud Black was forced to turn to closer Huston Street, who recorded the first two outs before giving up a three-run homer to Gerardo Parra.
However, Street still managed his seventh save of the year when he got Martin Prado to fly out.
Yonder Alonso connected on a two-run homer and Everth Cabrera had a pair of hits and two RBI as the Padres won for the seventh time in their last nine games.
"We're finding the hits, we're being aggressive and swinging at the right pitches," Alonso said. "It just keeps snowballing. We're just trying to get on base for everybody, and have good at-bats so the guy behind us can get it done."
The Diamondbacks dropped their fourth game in a row, registering just five hits before the ninth inning. Miguel Montero went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and three runs scored and Eric Chavez chipped in an RBI double in the setback.
Wade Miley was saddled with the loss, charged with four runs on nine hits and three walks over five innings of work. He carried a one-run lead heading into the fifth, but couldn't hold the advantage.
"I felt alright, but I just wasn't executing pitches. I have to look at some video, work on some things and go from there," said Miley.
The Padres went 11-7 versus the Diamondbacks a season ago, but lost five of nine at home.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.