Pirates at Diamondbacks
Josh Bell is on the roll of his career, as the Pittsburgh Pirates slugger is batting a robust .408 during his 12-game hitting streak. After going 4-for-4 with a personal-best five RBIs, Bell looks to continue his wave of good fortune on Monday when the Pirates open a three-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks.
Bell belted his fourth homer of the streak and pushed his RBI total to 16 in that stretch with a three-run shot in the seventh inning of Pittsburgh's 10-6 victory over St. Louis on Sunday. Gregory Polanco is 9-for-20 with two homers, eight RBIs and six runs during a five-game hitting streak for the Pirates, who have won three in a row and six of their last eight contests. Arizona, conversely, has dropped three in a row and six of eight heading into the series with Pittsburgh, which it outscored 30-7 en route to a four-game sweep on April 22-25. Adam Jones, who went 3-for-9 with three RBIs in that series, homered in his second straight game in Sunday's 5-3 setback versus Atlanta.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Nick Kingham (1-0, 5.94 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (2-1, 3.30)
Kingham answered eight appearances out of the bullpen with a four-inning start on Wednesday, allowing two runs on three hits in a no-decision against Texas. The 27-year-old issued three walks to drive up his pitch count to 78 in his 16th career start. Kingham struggled in a relief role versus Arizona on April 24, permitting three runs on as many hits over two innings of a no-decision.
Fresh off a season-high 11-strikeout performance, Ray needs to fan six batters on Monday to reach 800 for his career and become the second-fastest left-hander in games played (125) to reach the milestone (Frank Tanana, 120). The 27-year-old Ray struck out six of the seven batters he faced with runners in scoring position and scattered four hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision at Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Francisco Cervelli is just 1-for-8 with two strikeouts and Bell is 1-for-5 - albeit with a homer - against Ray, who is 1-2 with a 5.33 ERA in five career starts versus Pittsburgh.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona SS Ketel Marte, who had three hits on Sunday, went 4-for-13 with two homers and six RBIs in the previous series versus Pittsburgh.
2. Pirates CF Starling Marte has scored six runs during his seven-game hitting streak.
3. Diamondbacks SS Nick Ahmed went 5-for-16 with a solo homer and three runs scored in the previous series versus Pittsburgh.