Cleveland @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 24, 2014 ) Cleveland 8, Arizona 9

The pitching staffs were ravaged in the 14-inning series opener as the Cleveland Indians look to gain a split of a two-game set against Arizona when they visit the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. The teams used 19 combined pitchers – 10 by Cleveland – as Arizona prevailed 9-8 in Tuesday’s five-hour, 32-minute affair. Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra tied a career best with five hits and scored the decisive run on Aaron Hill’s single to the warning track in center field.

Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana continued his strong hitting by reaching base six times – four hits and two walks – and clubbing a two-run homer in the 11th inning. After a slow start to the season, Santana has been red-hot in June and is batting .371 with six homers and 14 RBIs over the last 17 games. Arizona’s top two hitters in the order – Ender Inciarte (four hits, one walk) and Parra – were a combined 9-for-14 with four runs scored, two RBIs and two walks in the opener.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (6-5, 3.30 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.18)

Kluber is 0-2 with two no-decisions in June after going 4-0 during the month of May. He lost to Detroit in his last outing when he gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings. Kluber has 114 strikeouts but just 19 in 23 2/3 innings this month.

Anderson has lost back-to-back outings after winning each of his first five major-league starts. He has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his seven starts and has given up five or fewer hits five times. Anderson is 3-1 with a 3.68 ERA in four home starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians C Yan Gomes went 3-for-6 with three RBIs in the opener and is 10-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak.

2. Parra was 4-for-33 over the previous eight games before erupting for five hits in the opener.

3. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis had three hits Tuesday and was thrown out trying to stretch a drive off the center-field fence into an inside-the-park homer in the 13th inning.

PREDICTION: Indians 7, Diamondbacks 6