Diamondbacks at Reds
The Arizona Diamondbacks passed their first test on their seven-game road trip, continuing a torrid stretch that has pulled them into third place in the wild-card race. The red-hot Diamondbacks have won 10 of 11 and have a chance to move a season-high eight games above .500 when they resume a three-game series at the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon.
Ketel Marte is having a September to remember with three homers and 11 RBIs during a five-game hitting streak, going deep and collecting three hits for the third straight contest in Friday's 7-5 victory. Josh Rojas has eight RBIs in his last seven games for Arizona, which pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card. While the Diamondbacks extended their winning streak to four in a row, the Reds fell to 3-7 in their last 10 despite a three-run homer from Eugenio Suarez -- his 42nd blast of the year and eighth in the past dozen games. Cincinnati sends Luis Castillo to the mound Saturday in search of his 15th victory while Arizona will go with lefty Alex Young.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Alex Young (6-3, 3.84 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (14-5, 3.25)
Young failed in his bid to win a third straight start and settled for a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, allowing a pair of solo home runs among five hits over 4 1/3 innings. The rookie, who will turn 26 on Monday, won his previous two decisions by limiting San Francisco to two runs over 5 1/3 innings and tossing six innings of three-run ball ball against Colorado. Set to make his first start versus Cincinnati, Young is 4-1 with a 2.96 ERA on the road.
Castillo won his third consecutive start last time out at St. Louis, striking out eight and permitting three runs and five hits over six innings. Owner of a 6-2 record since the All-Star break, the 26-year-old struck out 11 in his previous outing at Miami, allowing five runs over six innings, and pitched six innings of one-run ball to beat San Diego on Aug. 21. Castillo is 1-3 with a 5.01 ERA in four starts versus the Diamondbacks but their current roster is 6-for-38 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marte has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games with seven homers and 20 RBIs in that span.
2. Reds 1B Joey Votto scored his 1,000th run in his 1,700th game Friday.
3. The Diamondbacks recalled INF Domingo Leyba from Triple-A Reno.