The Padres have not won two games in a row since taking the last two games of the Nationals series at Petco Park (June 24-25). They’ve also lost two in a row just once since then (June 29-30) in the kind of wheel-spinning that’s both kept them afloat in the NL wild-card picture and barred them from truly taking advantage of an opportunity in the NL West.

The Padres have another prime opportunity in Wednesday’s 6:40 p.m. start on Padres.TV.

The Dodgers lost their sixth straight game this afternoon, pulling the Padres to within 5½ games in the division. The Padres are a half-game out of the final wild-card spot, but the Giants have also already lost on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s win pushed the Padres (49-42) 4½ games ahead of the Diamondbacks (45-47) in a key divisional series ahead of next week’s All-Star break.

“Every series has ramifications,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “We expect to go out and play good baseball. … We’re always looking to win series. Just got coming off winning a series (against the Rangers). It was a big series in the moment and that’s the thing. I’ve had guys in the past say, you know, ‘Today’s the biggest game of the year, boys.’ And it’s really true.

“Because the more you take care of business on a daily basis, the more you get to where you go.”

For Game 3 against the Diamondbacks, four-hole hitter Gavin Sheets will serve as the DH, pushing switch-hitter Bryce Johnson into left field and in the eight-hole.

Johnson is hitting .313/.389/.375 with one double, two steals and two runs scored in 15 games.

This will be Johnson’s first start since June 30, when he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He doesn’t have a hit since going 1-for-3 on June 25 against the Nationals.

Jackson Merrill will remain in the five-hole, between Sheets and shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Martín Maldonado will start Wednesday behind the plate and bat ninth.

Here is how the Diamondbacks will line up:

 

Wednesday’s pitching matchup

D-backs RHP Brandon Pfaadt (8-6, 5.42 ERA)

The third-year starter has an 8.69 ERA over his last seven starts. Pfaadt has a 3.48 ERA in six starts against the Padres, but this is his first this season. He has been better on the road (4.27 ERA) than he has at home (6.60 ERA) this season.

Here is how current Padres have fared against Pfaadt:

Padres RHP Dylan Cease (3-8, 4.62 ERA)

The Padres have split his 18 starts so far this season and he has just two quality starts since May 25 (4.78 ERA). Cease is facing the Diamondbacks for the first time this season. He had a 2.63 ERA, 16 strikeouts and an 0.66 WHIP in two starts (13 ⅔ IP) last year against Arizona.

Here is how Cease has fared against current Diamondbacks: