Diamondbacks at Giants
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been much better on the road than at home, a trend they hope holds true to form as they head to San Francisco to open a four-game series against the last-place Giants on Thursday night. The Diamondbacks are sitting just off the wild-card lead in the National League thanks to their 24-19 record away from home.
Arizona salvaged a dismal homestand by winning three of its last four, including taking two of three from the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. Ketel Marte, who set a franchise record with multiple hits in eight straight games, had a pinch-hit single in Wednesday's 8-2 rout to become the first NL player with 100 hits. Since amassing 18 runs in taking the first two games in Arizona last weekend, the Giants have mustered a combined nine runs while losing three of their last four. The away team has won seven of eight meetings this season, including a dominating three-game sweep by the Diamondbacks last month in which they outscored San Francisco 34-8.
TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Alex Young (NR) vs. Giants RH Tyler Beede (1-2, 6.96)
Young will be summoned from the minors to make his major league debut but he has not had a particularly distinguished season at Triple-A Reno, opening the year in the bullpen before he was shifted to the starting rotation last month. Overall, the former second-round pick was 3-4 with a 6.09 ERA in 20 appearances and 2-3 with a 5.79 ERA in eight starts. Young, who has yet to pitch beyond five innings at Triple-A, had a season-high eight strikeouts on June 16.
Beede gets another crack at the Diamondbacks after struggling through four innings in a no-decision at Arizona on Saturday, giving up four runs on six hits over four innings. It marked the third time in four starts that he has permitted at least four runs while his three walks continued a troublesome pattern -- the 26-year-old rookie has surrendered 25 passes in only 32 1/3 innings. Beede made his major league debut versus Arizona last year, walking five in four innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marte is 22-for-34 with only three strikeouts during his nine-game tear.
2. Giants 3B Evan Longoria sat out Wednesday after going 2-for-20 in his previous six games.
3. Diamondbacks 3B Eduardo Escobar swatted his 18th homer Wednesday, ending a 14-game drought.