(Sports Network) - A pretty good pitching matchup is on tap this evening, as Dan Haren and the Arizona Diamondbacks open a three-game series against Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

These hurlers actually faced off last Wednesday, but it wasn't the pitcher's duel people were expecting. Haren served up four runs in the first inning and gave up five along with a season-high 11 hits in six innings, while Peavy was charged with the loss after surrendering six runs (5 earned) and five hits in five innings of Arizona's 8-6 win.

Peavy enters tonight's tilt with losses in three of his last four starts, but is still fifth in the National League with a 2.84 earned run average. Haren, meanwhile, is eighth in that department at 3.12, but his 14-6 mark outshines the reigning Cy Young Award winner's ledger of 9-9.

In 25 starts against the D'Backs, Peavy is 11-11 with a 4.88 ERA.

Haren, meanwhile, is 3-1 lifetime against the Padres with a 2.72 ERA in seven games, six of which have been starts.

Arizona missed a golden opportunity this past weekend to put even more distance between itself and the Los Dodgers in the NL West race. With the Dodgers struggling in Philadelphia, the Diamondbacks dropped two of three to the Florida Marlins, including a 5-2 setback in Sunday's finale at Chase Field.

Stephen Drew hit a solo home run and scored twice for the Diamondbacks, who have lost just twice in their last six games. Conor Jackson drove in the team's other run

Doug Davis (5-8) was handed the loss after he gave up three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Arizona still maintains a three-game lead over Los Angeles in the division.

San Diego, meanwhile, continues to play out the string and enters tonight's opener riding a seven-game losing streak after getting swept over the weekend by the San Francisco Giants, culminating with a 7-4 loss Sunday at AT&T Park.

Brian Giles homered while Luis Rodriguez and Kevin Kouzmanoff each added two hits for the Padres, who have now dropped eight of their last nine games.

Arizona swept a three-game series from the Padres last week and has won five in a row against them. The D'Backs hold a 10-5 edge in the season series, with four of those victories coming in San Diego.