Diamondbacks at Rockies
Each club will have an ace up its sleeve when the Arizona Diamondbacks try for a three-game sweep of the host Colorado Rockies on Sunday. Arizona's Zack Greinke leads the National League with five victories and is 6-for-16 with two home runs at the plate while Colorado's German Marquez brings a fastball in the mid-90s to the contest.
The Diamondbacks have won four straight, are 9-2 in their last 11 games and 14-4 in the past 18 after Saturday's 9-2 victory. Arizona, though, could be without right fielder Adam Jones in the series finale as he left Saturday's game in the fourth inning for precautionary reasons after feeling lightheaded. The Rockies and Nolan Arenado will try to regain the offensive form that produced 31 runs in the previous three games with their All-Star third baseman going 3-for-5 in each contest before an 0-for-4 effort on Saturday. Colorado right fielder Charlie Blackmon's slow start to the season is well behind him as he recorded his third straight multi-hit performance on Saturday and is batting .381 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in his last 14 games since hitting .221 with six RBIs in his first 18 contests.
TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (5-1, 3.27 ERA) vs. Rockies RH German Marquez (3-2, 2.93)
Greinke allowed one run and five hits while striking out seven in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday. The 35-year-old Floridian - a career .225 hitter with eight home runs in 485 at-bats - has recorded six straight quality starts after a rough season opener. Mark Reynolds is 7-for-36 with four homers and 14 strikeouts versus Greinke, who is 12-6 with a 3.76 ERA in 30 games (29 starts) against the Rockies - including a 5-1 mark and 4.18 ERA in 12 contests at Coors Field.
Marquez retired the first 15 batters without the ball leaving the infield before allowing four runs and six hits with six strikeouts in seven innings of a 4-3 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Venezuelan, who signed a five-year, $43 million contract last month, has posted a 5.29 ERA at Coors Field compared to 1.55 on the road. Eduardo Escobar (.409 in last 12 road games) is 4-for-6 versus Marquez, who is 3-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) versus the Diamondbacks.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona LF David Peralta (.309, five home runs, 23 RBIs) belted a three-run homer on Saturday and is 13-for-29 with two blasts, seven RBIs and four doubles versus Marquez
2. Colorado recalled RHPs DJ Johnson and Yency Almonte from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace LHPs Harrison Musgrave (10-day injured list, elbow) and LHP Tyler Anderson (0-3, 11.76 ERA), who "wasn't where he needs to be to make his next start" according to manager Bud Black, after they were sent to Albuquerque. Johnson and Almonte combined to allow one run in three relief innings Saturday.
3. The Diamondbacks lead the majors with 139 extra-base hits after recording six on Saturday.