Baltimore @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2013 ) Baltimore 3, Arizona 4

The Arizona Diamondbacks posted walkoff victories in the first two games of the series and a victory in Wednesday’s finale would give them a three-game sweep of the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Paul Goldschmidt hit a tying homer in the ninth on Tuesday and then smacked a game-winning, opposite-field homer in the bottom of the 11th to give Arizona a dramatic 4-3 victory. The Diamondbacks won the opener 7-6 on Adam Eaton’s ninth-inning homer.

Baltimore standout Chris Davis smacked his major league-leading 44th homer of the season Tuesday and has six homers in 11 August games. Orioles closer Jim Johnson blew his eighth save by allowing the ninth-inning homer to Goldschmidt, who took over the National League lead with 29 homers. Arizona is 5 1/2 games behind Cincinnati for the NL’s second wild-card spot, while Baltimore is two games behind Tampa Bay for the American League’s final wild-card berth.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (14-3, 3.73 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (12-3, 2.36)

Tillman has won four consecutive decisions and 11 of his last 12. He allowed one run and four hits in eight innings against San Francisco in his last start but received a no-decision when Johnson blew the save in the ninth. Tillman is 7-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 10 road starts.

Corbin is 0-2 over his last three turns despite allowing just six runs in 20 innings. He has been spectacular at home with an 8-1 mark and 1.60 ERA in 13 starts. Corbin ranks third in the NL in the ERA behind Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey and has a 1.99 ERA over his last six starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona has won 25 games in its last at-bat, most in the majors.

2. Baltimore SS J.J. Hardy has homered in four of the last six games and has a 10-game hitting streak.

3. Diamondbacks 2B Aaron Hill has two hits in 10 of his last 15 games.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 3, Orioles 2