Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

(Sports Network) - The struggling Arizona Diamondbacks will try to maintain their lead in the NL West, as they wrap up a three-game series versus the division-rival San Diego Padres at Chase Field.

Arizona has dropped two straight, four of five and seven of the last 10 games to watch its lead in the NL West shrink to just a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres are last at eight games off the pace.

In Saturday's 4-2 setback in the second test of this series, starter Doug Davis was reached for three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in eight solid innings to suffer the loss.

Orlando Hudson finished with two doubles and an RBI, while Stephen Drew hit a solo home run in defeat. Despite the loss, the D'Backs are still a solid 26-19 at home this season.

Veteran pitcher Randy Johnson will try to gain some confidence and put Arizona back in the win column on Sunday. Johnson has been struggling mightily as of late, having lost six straight starts with a 7.94 earned run average during that stretch. Johnson's worst streak was when he dropped eight straight starts in 1992 with Seattle.

Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, is winless over the past eight outings and previously pitched on Tuesday versus Milwaukee. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in just 3 2/3 frames to fall to 4-7 with a 5.46 ERA in 15 trips to the hill in 2008. The lefty has given up seven runs in three of his last four starts.

In 25 career games, 24 of which have been starts, against San Diego, Johnson is an impressive 15-5 with a 2.44 ERA, five complete games and three shutouts.

The Padres, meanwhile, will shoot for a series sweep this afternoon. They have won three of the last five games, including Saturday's victory behind a strong pitching performance by ace Jake Peavy. Peavy yielded three hits and a pair of walks through seven shutout innings for San Diego, which has won back-to-back contests for the first time since June 11-12. Closer Trevor Hoffman recorded his 16th save of the season with a shaky ninth.

Scott Hairston provided much of the offense with two homers and three RBI and Adrian Gonzalez added a solo home run for San Diego.

Taking the ball for the Padres in today's series finale will be Josh Banks, who is 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA in eight games (three starts) this season. Banks has lost three starts in a row, with a 5.74 ERA in that time, and is winless over the past five appearances.

Banks, a righty, last toed the rubber on Tuesday in a 4-0 loss at Colorado. He gave up four runs and six hits in five innings of work. Banks has never faced Arizona in his career.

The 2008 series between Arizona and San Diego is tied at 4-4.