Tampa Bay @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2013 ) Arizona 7, Tampa Bay 0

The Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks meet for the second time in a week when they square off in the first of two interleague games in Phoenix on Tuesday. The teams split a pair of contests at Tampa Bay last week before Arizona traveled to Boston and the Rays stayed home to host San Francisco. Tampa Bay is one-half game out in the American League East while the Diamondbacks are six games back in the NL West.

The opener features a rematch on the mound between Rays right-hander Jeremy Hellickson and Arizona lefty Wade Miley, who got the better of his counterpart in a 7-0 triumph over Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The Rays have won 12 of their last 15 road games. The Diamondbacks have dropped five of their last eight at home and are 6-11 in their last 17 games overall.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Arizona (Arizona)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (10-4, 4.60 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (8-8, 3.68)

In his loss to the Diamondbacks, Hellickson lasted just 4 1/3 innings, registering his shortest start of the season. He was reached for four runs and seven hits in losing for the first time since June 13. After striking out 17 and walking none in a pair of starts before the All-Star break, the 26-year-old has just nine punchouts against eight free passes over his last three outings.

Miley has won four of his last five starts, lasting at least into the seventh inning in each of those victories. He has walked 10 batters over a three-start span but has not allowed a home run over the course of 23 2/3 innings. The southpaw has a 4.58 ERA in 19 career outings when pitching with five days' rest, which will be the case Tuesday, compared to a 2.99 ERA in 31 starts on four days' rest.

WALK-OFFS

1. Hellickson has a 5.44 ERA in 16 night games. He is 1-4 with a 6.60 mark in interleague play.

2. Diamondback LF Cody Ross is 35-for-88 with six home runs in his last 22 interleague games.

3. Since losing the first seven games against Tampa Bay, Arizona has claimed five of the last seven.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 5, Rays 4