Maddux puts unbeaten streak on the line in finale with Dodgers

Sep 13, 2007, 14:51 GMT

- Greg Maddux will put his unbeaten streak on the line tonight for the NL wild card-leading San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

Maddux is 12-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 30 starts this season and 5-0 in his last six trips to the mound. Maddux has won back-to-back starts, including last Saturday's performance at Colorado in which he yielded one run in six innings of a 3-1 win at Coors Field.

The future Hall of Fame right-hander is 15-7 with three shutouts and a 2.75 earned run average in 33 career starts against Los Angeles. Maddux is 2-0 versus the Dodgers this season.

San Diego, though, suffered a 6-1 loss in Wednesday's middle contest of this series, as Khalil Greene and Kevin Kouzmanoff each had three hits for the Padres, who have lost five of seven games and remain 2 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers, Rockies and Phillies for the NL wild card lead.

Justin Germano started for the Padres and was touched for six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits in five innings to absorb his third consecutive loss. Germano is now just 1-7 over his past 11 outings.

Los Angeles put the brakes on a brief two-game losing streak with last night's win. James Loney was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and Jeff Kent also homered for the Dodgers.

LA starter Chad Billingsley earned the win after he allowed just one run on five hits in six solid innings. Four different relievers combined for three innings of scoreless relief to preserve the victory.

Former Padre David Wells will take a shot at his old club tonight and he is 7-8 with a 5.31 ERA in 25 starts with San Diego and LA this season. Wells, who went 5-8 with a 5.54 earned run average in 22 games with the Padres before being placed on waivers, is unbeaten in his last three outings (2-0).

Wells hurled seven strong innings of two-run ball in a 6-2 win over San Francisco on Saturday. In three career starts against the Padres, the big lefty is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA. Wells posted a no decision against the Padres on August 31, as he yielded three runs over five frames of a 6-4 loss.

San Diego is 10-7 against the Dodgers this season and 23-12 in the last 35 encounters with Los Angeles.

© 2007 The Sports Network