Arizona @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 20, 2016 ) Arizona 9, Cincinnati 3

Joey Votto has appeared to turn the page on a disappointing first half of the season and looks to stay hot when his Cincinnati Reds host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in the opener of a three-game set. Votto batted .252 before the All-Star break but is 11-for-20 with a pair of homers and five RBIs in six games since for the Reds, who stand last in the National League Central.

Votto belted a two-run homer – his 16th blast of the campaign – in Wednesday’s 6-3 victory over Atlanta as Cincinnati improved to 4-2 during its nine-game homestand. The Reds took two of three from the Braves, who reside at the bottom of the NL East, and hope for even better against the last-place team in the NL West this weekend. The Diamondbacks fell into the cellar by losing seven of their last nine, including a 10-4 defeat at Toronto on Wednesday. Jean Segura went 6-for-12 in the last three games for Arizona, which has won eight of its last 10 contests against Cincinnati.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (3-5, 4.37 ERA) vs. Reds RH Dan Straily (4-6, 4.07)

Bradley posted four quality starts in his last six appearances, but managed to record only one victory during that stretch. The 23-year-old Oklahoma native limited the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco to three runs over 12 innings combined in his past two starts that straddled the All-Star break, going 0-1. Bradley, who faces the Reds for the first time, has been better on the road (2-2, 3.51 ERA) in 2016.

Straily is winless in six straight starts, but has pitched well in the last three while allowing six runs and 11 hits over 20 innings total. The 27-year-old Marshall product has limited opponents to a .212 batting average overall and is 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA in 10 home games (nine starts). Straily, who is 0-5 in a dozen night games (10 starts) this season, faces the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt has 132 homers and needs one to pass Chris Young for third on the franchise’s all-time list.

2. Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips has hit safely in nine straight games, going 12-for-34 during that stretch.

3. Diamondbacks CF Michael Bourn boasts multiple hits in three of his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 5, Reds 3