San Diego (15-25) has won three of four to snap out of an ugly 4-18 slump that gave the Padres the worst record in the majors. They're still in last place in the NL, but hope a close win over the streaking Cubs (23-16) is a sign that things are turning around.

Khalil Greene hit a three-run home run to help San Diego snap Chicago's four-game win streak with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night.

Greene is 9-for-30 (.300) with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last seven games at Wrigley Field, and San Diego has gone 5-2 in that stretch.

The Padres will try to build on Tuesday's victory with the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner on the mound. Peavy (4-2, 2.47 ERA) ranks among league leaders in ERA and strikeouts (52), but he's gotten just one win in his last five starts - primarily due to a lack of run support from the majors' lowest-scoring offense.

The right-hander gave up three runs in six innings of a 4-2 loss to Colorado on Friday night. After taking a 1-0 lead into the sixth, Peavy walked two during the Rockies' three-run inning, and told the Padres' official Web site afterward that he could have been affected by his low expectations of San Diego's offense.

"I was trying to be careful with those guys (I walked)," he said. "I felt like I could have gone after them, but I was trying to make that one run stand."

Though the Cubs are the majors' highest-scoring team, Peavy hasn't had much trouble with them. He's 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA in five career starts against them, and the Padres are 4-1 in those games.

Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano has one home run against Peavy, but has also struck out five times in seven career at-bats against him.

The Cubs will counter with Ted Lilly (3-4, 5.24), who appears to have put things together after a slow start. The left-hander was 0-3 with a 9.16 ERA in his first four starts, but has gone 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his last four. He held the powerful Arizona lineup to one run and three hits in seven innings while striking out a season-high 10 in a 3-1 victory on Friday.

"We've seen steady progression every time out," Cubs manager Lou Piniella told the team's official Web site. "He's pitching like he was last year when he was going well. He's mixing up his pitches, changing speeds, using his breaking pitches."

Though he was roughed up in a relief appearance against the Padres in 1999, Lilly has won each of his three career starts against them since then, allowing just two runs in 23 1-3 innings (0.77 ERA) while striking out 20.