The Padres begin their final home series of the season tonight when the Diamondbacks come to Petco Park. Eric Stults will take the mound and try for back-to-back wins for the first time since July. In his last start, he gave up two runs and struck out five in five innings of work at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The victory put an end to a string of ten winless starts for the left-hander, over which he went 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA. In three starts against the Dbacks this season, Stults has gone 1-2 while putting up a 4.43 ERA. His only win against them was his only start against them at Petco Park. The Padres have dominated the season series at home, going 5-1 thus far when hosting the Dbacks.
That said, Arizona will look to improve on their road record against San Diego this series. Tonight they'll send Brandon McCarthy to the hill to get them started on the right foot. McCarthy hadn't faced the Padres prior to 2013, but in two starts against them this season, he is 2-0, allowing only one run through 14 total innings of work. He recently went on a five-game losing streak, but has since come back and gone 3-1 while posting a 2.50 ERA in his last five starts.
Stults and the Padres will take the field at 7:10 tonight.