Dodgers, Padres set for rare double dip

SAN DIEGO -- The Dodgers and Padres get together for a rarity for both teams on Saturday, playing a doubleheader at Petco Park.

The series finale back on May 7 in San Diego was rained out, so the two teams will play two games today, a day/night doubleheader, with the first game at 12:40 p.m. PT and the second at 7:10 p.m.

It is just the second doubleheader in the history of Petco Park, which opened in 2004. The other one was on July 1, 2006 against San Francisco.

This is the sixth straight season the Dodgers have played at least one doubleheader, but all of those were in cold-weather cities with actual weather. They haven’t played a doubleheader in the state of California since Sept. 27, 2003 in San Francisco.

Brock Stewart gets the start in the first game, looking for his stuff to translate into performance in his fourth start of the year. As a starter this year, Stewart has a 6.52 ERA with eight walks and five strikeouts in 9⅔ innings, and that’s not counting the five unearned runs he also allowed while starting.

As a reliever, Stewart has a 1.26 ERA in 14⅓ innings, with 12 strikeouts and three walks.

“I think Brock’s got really good stuff. When he middles and doesn’t attack and isn’t aggressive, it’s a tough go for him,” manager Dave Roberts said. “When he’s attacking with his fastball, his slider, and plus change, he can get hitters out.

“When he takes the mound, we’ve talked to our guys about throwing as hard as you can for as long as you can. Whether it’s 50 pitches or 90 pitches, whatever the number, the mindset has to be a certain way.

Clayton Richard starts the opener on Saturday for the Padres, his fifth start against the Dodgers in 2017. After tossing eight scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium in the second game of the season on Apr. 4, Richard has allowed 15 runs on 24 hits in 15⅓ innings in his three starts since, with 14 walks and 13 strikeouts.

Game 1 info

Time: 12:40 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA