Atlanta @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2010 ) Atlanta 1, Arizona 2
The Arizona Diamondbacks earned a solid return on their bargain-basement investment the first time out.
The second test occurs Thursday afternoon, when Dontrelle Willis makes his second start since joining the Diamondbacks as they host the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a four-game series.
Willis is attempting to regain the form that allowed him to win 22 games for the Florida Marlins just five years ago. He won just two games in two-plus seasons with Detroit and the Tigers finally gave up on him and moved him to the Diamondbacks last week.
The 28-year-old Willis made a good first impression with the Diamondbacks, working out of some jams and tossing six shutout innings to earn the victory against the Colorado Rockies.
It may have only been one start but it created hope that Arizona – going nowhere this season as the last-place team in the National League West – may have unearthed a gem if Willis can regain a semblance of his past success.
He dealt with anxiety issues during his time with the Tigers, and has struggled with locating his pitches since leaving the Florida Marlins. Perhaps a return to the National League will provide comfort for Willis on both fronts.
Willis started eight games for the Tigers this season and went 1-2 with a 4.98 earned-run average. He has made 18 career starts against the Braves, going 6-5 with a 4.92 ERA.
Tommy Hanson (6-3, 3.71 ERA) starts for the Braves following an odd outing against the Diamondbacks in mid-May.
Hanson struck out a season-high 10 batters and didn’t walk anyone in seven innings, but also allowed five runs and seven hits and took the loss. The five runs were the second most he’s allowed in 12 starts this season.
Overall, Hanson has struck out 70 batters in 70 1/3 innings. He has allowed two runs or fewer nine times, including his most recent start against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he surrendered two runs over six innings for this third consecutive victory.
One player Hanson will be careful with is former Atlanta teammate Kelly Johnson, who has terrorized his old club this season.
Johnson is batting .346 with two homers and three doubles in 26 at-bats against Atlanta pitching. He had three hits on Tuesday, including a homer and three RBIs.
The left-handed hitting second baseman is second on Arizona in homers (13) and fifth in RBIs (29).
Martin Prado returned to the lineup for the Braves on Wednesday and the second baseman saw his 12-game hitting streak end. Prado sat out Tuesday’s contest with a hand injury and then went 0-for-5 in his return. He’s batting .319.
The Braves will be without center fielder Nate McLouth on Thursday after McLouth was involved in a collision with the larger Jason Heyward during Wednesday’s game.
McLouth left the contest and was reported to have a headache afterwards. Gerardo Parra ended up with a two-run inside-the-park homer on the eighth-inning play to give Arizona a 2-1 victory.