Diamondbacks at Blue Jays
The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost 12 of their last 18 games as they begin their third 10-game road trip of the season Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays but do so with a positive vibe. Arizona was on the verge of getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers before rallying for a 3-2 victory in 11 innings as manager Torey Lovullo stressed the significance of that accomplishment.
“I think everybody that is sitting here that’s a fan of the Diamondbacks understands how important that game was for us,” Lovullo told reporters. “Especially since we’ve been walking through some very lean times, we’ve been battling through some injuries. We sent a crew out there (Wednesday) that gave everything they had and did enough to win the baseball game. It was a tremendous way to finish it and it’s one of those games that you feel like will push you in a very, very positive direction.” Toronto failed in its bid to record a series sweep against someone other than the Oakland Athletics this season with a 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday. Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk is 5-for-12 with three home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored in his last three games after going 2-for-4 on Thursday. Toronto's Marcus Stroman takes the ball Friday after having his two-game winning streak snapped and opposes rookie Merrill Kelly, who is coming off the best performance of his career.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 1 (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Merrill Kelly (5-6, 4.41 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (3-7, 2.84)
Kelly allowed one run (homer) and six hits while striking out a personal-best 10 over 7 2/3 innings of a 7-1 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday. "I felt like I was going to have a special day as we got later in the game," the 30-year-old Arizona native told reporters. Kelly, who yielded four runs in each of his previous two games - both road losses, is 2-4 with a 7.14 ERA in six away starts compared 3-2, 2.35 in six home turns.
Stroman permitted four runs (three earned) and seven hits in seven innings of a 4-2 loss at Colorado on Saturday for his fourth quality start in his last five turns. The 28-year-old New Yorker allowed two runs and 10 hits over a combined 11 innings in victories over San Diego and Boston in his previous two outings. The Diamondbacks' Adam Jones is 9-for-25 with four RBIs from his time with Baltimore against Stroman, who yielded one run in eight innings of a 10-4 victory in 2016 in his only appearance versus Arizona.
WALK-OFFS
1. Jones left Tuesday's game with a hamstring injury and did not play Wednesday but could be ready to see action Friday.
2. Toronto rookie 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.248) went 0-for-4 on Thursday, snapping a six-game hitting streak during which he went 9-for-23 with two home runs and five RBIs.
3. Diamondbacks OF Tim Locastro has been hit by a pitch 10 times in 24 games this season after getting plunked once in his first 21 career contests.