Diamondbacks at Blue Jays
The Arizona Diamondbacks have played sub-.500 ball at home this season while attempting to navigate a schedule that has them tied for the most road games in the National League. The Diamondbacks are off to a solid start on their current 10-game trek and will look to complete their fourth road sweep in the finale of a three-game set at the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
Arizona's pitching has come up big during the current three-game winning streak, allowing a combined four runs after posting a 6-0 shutout victory Saturday. Rookie Kevin Cron has homered in each of the first two games of the series for the Diamondbacks, who will take an 8-4 interleague mark into the series finale. Toronto scraped out only five hits in each of the first two games and has lost 13 of 16 overall while failing to score more than two runs for the 18th time in 34 contests. The Blue Jays will send veteran Clayton Richard to the mound to oppose Robbie Ray in a matchup of left-handers in the series finale.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet, TVAS (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (4-3, 3.62 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Clayton Richard (0-1, 3.55)
Ray lost his second straight start last time out versus the Los Angeles Dodgers despite working a season-high seven innings and allowing three runs and six hits while striking out nine. It was a nice bounce-back effort from the previous outing in which the 27-year-old had his nine-start unbeaten streak snapped by giving up five runs and eight hits in a season-low 4 2/3 innings at Colorado. Freddie Galvis is 7-for-21 against Ray, who owns a 2-2 record and 3.71 ERA in eight starts away from home.
A stress reaction in his knee delayed Richard's season debut until late last month and he has yet to get through five innings in each of his first three starts. The 35-year-old went a season-high 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the New York Yankees on Tuesday and permitted two runs on four hits. Richard, who has surrendered as many walks as hits allowed (nine) in his three outings, has seen plenty of the Diamondbacks throughout his career and was 0-1 with a 6.60 ERA in three starts against them in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks OF David Peralta is 6-for-14 with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs over the last three games.
2. Blue Jays LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has hit safely in 11 of 13 starts since he was recalled from the minors.
3. Diamondbacks OF Adam Jones (hamstring) sat out his third straight game.