(My Sportsbook) - The NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers are back home after an extensive road trip and will host the division-rival San Diego Padres tonight in the first of four straight games at Chavez Ravine.

Los Angeles, which will also host Arizona, Washington and San Francisco on its current homestand, went 4-5 on the recent road trip, culminated by a 9-4 loss to the Giants on Wednesday. Orlando Hudson went 2-for-5 and drove in a run for the Dodgers, who have lost three of their last four games. Brad Ausmus and Juan Pierre also drove in runs in the setback.

Dodgers starter Eric Stults suffered the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.

Hoping to get Joe Torre's ballclub back in to the win column tonight will be starter James McDonald, who is 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA in four games (three starts) this season. McDonald is coming off the first win of his career, a 6-5 triumph over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

McDonald allowed five runs and four hits in five innings against the Rockies. The right-hander faced San Diego for the first time on September 23 last season in a 10-1 win and did not post a decision after yielding just a hit in an inning of relief.

San Diego has been experiencing its own struggles and has dropped four of five and seven of its last nine games, including Wednesday's 7-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies in the finale of a three-game set at Coors Field. Adrian Gonzalez had a big game go to waste for the Padres with two homers and three RBI, while Henry Blanco hit a two-run shot in defeat.

Kevin Correia started on the hill for the Friars and was tagged with the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits in five frames. San Diego is currently 1-2 on a seven-game road trip.

Josh Geer takes the ball for the Padres on Thursday and he is 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two games (one start) this season. Geer made his season debut on April 19 at Philadelphia and did not record a decision in the 5-4 loss, allowing two runs -- one earned -- in seven decent innings of work.

Geer then came on in relief the previous time out on April 25 and did not factor in the outcome of a 10-1 loss to Pittsburgh. He hurled four innings of relief and permitted five runs and seven hits. The right-hander has never faced the Dodgers in his short career.

The 2009 series between LA and San Diego is tied at two games apiece, but the Dodgers have won six of the last nine meetings between the teams.