Michael King acknowledged he rushed his comeback last month from a nerve issue that caused problems with his pitching shoulder, leading to knee inflammation that landed him on the injured list for another month.

The San Diego Padres right-hander didn't hurry his latest rehab, which he hopes will climax with a successful return to his team's chase for championships in October.

King will take the ball Tuesday night as San Diego tries to clinch a series win against the visiting Cincinnati Reds in the teams' three-game set. The Padres won the opener 4-3 in 10 innings on Monday and have three victories in a row.

King, sidelined in late May by his first ailment, made it back to oppose the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 9 but lasted only two-plus innings and 57 pitches before departing. King (4-2, 2.81 ERA) hasn't enjoyed spending most of the summer on the shelf but said it would be worth it if he is part of a downtown parade this fall.

"Honestly, I just want to try to contribute as much as I can in these next two months," King said.

King, who is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA in four career outings (one start) against Cincinnati, tossed a five-inning simulated game against minor-leaguers last week at the Padres' facility in Peoria, Ariz.

He threw 70 pitches that day, and it's likely 75 to 80 will be his limit vs. the Reds.

With the team just a game back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, King knows he will have to hit the ground running.

"There's expectations of winning every time out," he said. "I'm going to hold myself to that standard where I'm winning ballgames every time I go out there. I don't want any of these to feel like a rehab outing."

While San Diego (79-65) tries to run down Los Angeles (80-64), the Reds (72-72) can't afford any more slip-ups if they are to advance to the postseason. They missed on a great chance to gain ground Monday on the New York Mets, who currently hold the last NL wild-card spot.

Trailing New York by four games with 18 remaining, Cincinnati will turn to right-hander Zack Littell (9-8, 3.81 ERA) to try to equalize the series. Littell struggled in his latest start on Wednesday, permitting seven hits and five runs over 4 1/3 innings in his team's 13-9 loss to Toronto. He walked one and fanned six.

Littell earned a win over the Padres earlier this season while pitching for Tampa Bay, throwing five innings of two-run ball on April 27. He is 2-0 with a 4.98 ERA in 19 career outings against San Diego, the first 18 out of the bullpen.

Cincinnati appeared to be in good shape to start the series with a win Monday as Nick Lodolo fired five scoreless innings and the Reds went up 3-0 in the top of the sixth. However, the bullpen gave up the lead in the bottom of the sixth, and San Diego's relievers held Cincinnati to one hit in 4 1/3 scoreless innings en route to the 10-inning victory.

Reds manager Terry Francona knows time is running out fast for the Reds.

"I don't think you can flip a button and say we've got to have extra urgency," he said. "I don't know that it works that way. I understand the math, and you start looking at how many games are left. So yeah, we need to win."