Cincinnati @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2016 ) Arizona 9, Cincinnati 8

The Arizona Diamondbacks are on their way to their fifth consecutive non-winning season and already have clinched a losing home record. Arizona is just 23-42 at Chase Field as it opens a three-game series on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds, who are a miserable 22-39 on the road.

The Diamondbacks just split a four-game home series against lowly Atlanta and notched only two hits in Thursday's 3-1 defeat. Arizona's Jean Segura has been a bright spot with a .359 average in August to raise his average to .320 - tied for third-best in the National League. Cincinnati went 6-4 on a 10-game homestand in which it tallied five or more runs on six occasions. Cincinnati's Adam Duvall hasn't been part of the production as he is just 4-for-25 over the last seven games to drop his August average to .215 with three homers.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Brandon Finnegan (8-9, 4.32 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Braden Shipley (2-3, 5.45)

Finnegan has won five of his last seven decisions and hasn't allowed a run in three of the victories. He was superb against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn, when he struck out eight and gave up just one hit in seven scoreless innings. Finnegan served up three homers in a loss to Arizona on July 24, when he allowed six runs and seven hits over five frames.

Shipley has been torched for 13 earned runs and 17 hits over 10 1/3 innings while losing his last two outings. He gave up just two runs and 12 hits in 19 frames over his previous three turns before the consecutive rough starts. Shipley has allowed eight homers in 34 2/3 innings, including two in each of his last two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt is 7-for-17 with two homers, four RBIs and six runs scored over the last four contests.

2. Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart (right knee, left Achilles) is expected to return during the series - perhaps as soon as the opener - after being out of the lineup for the last seven games.

3. Arizona OF Yasmany Tomas (back) didn't start for the second straight night on Thursday but entered the contest in the sixth inning and was hitless in two at-bats.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 8, Reds 6