Milwaukee @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2013 ) Milwaukee 1, Arizona 2
The Arizona Diamondbacks are admittedly cutting corners in an attempt to change their fortune. After being swept by the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks elected to skip batting practice prior to the first two contests of the four-game set the versus Milwaukee Brewers. With two victories under its belt, National League West-leading Arizona may continue the trend Saturday when it faces the Brewers.
Although a couple of the Diamondbacks admitted that the rest did them some good, the club mustered only four hits in the 2-1 triumph Friday. Milwaukee doubled that total, but failed to come up with the timely hit and left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth innings. Veteran Kyle Lohse will look to help the Brewers snap a three-game losing skid when he opposes fellow right-hander Randall Delgado.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (5-6, 3.47 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Randall Delgado (1-3, 3.82)
Lohse continued to turn his season around by posting his second win in as many starts and fourth consecutive victorious decision in his last turn. The 34-year-old yielded three runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings to subdue Cincinnati on Monday. Lohse pitched well in his last outing versus Arizona, allowing one run over six innings in a no-decision.
Delgado suffered his third loss in four starts after permitting three runs and a season-high 11 hits in six innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. The 23-year-old Panamanian has yielded either two or three earned runs in all six of his outings this season. Delgado, who has yet to face the Brewers in his career, has failed to walk a batter in four turns this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt, who is riding a nine-game hitting streak, is 2-for-4 with a double in his career versus Lohse.
2. Milwaukee 2B Rickie Weeks played in his 1,000th career game with the franchise Friday. He sits two RBIs shy of 400.
3. Diamondbacks 2B Aaron Hill is 0-for-7 in the series after collecting hits in five of his previous six contests.
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 3, Brewers 2