San Diego @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( May 8, 2015 ) San Diego 6, Arizona 5
Wil Myers started slowly in May but has picked up the pace over the past three days as the San Diego Padres prepare to host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Myers had a career-best four hits, including his fifth homer of the season, as the Padres edged the Diamondbacks 6-5 on Friday and has gone 7-for-14 during his hot stretch.
Myers, who was acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason, is batting .288 and leads the majors with 26 runs scored. Will Venable on Friday homered among three hits and drove in the tiebreaking run for the Padres, who rebounded from an 11-0 shellacking in Thursday’s opener. Arizona has blasted six homers in the series and two were hit by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who is 21-for-45 with four homers and 11 RBIs over the last 10 contests. Goldschmidt is 8-for-19 with three homers against San Diego this season.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Tyson Ross (1-3, 4.15 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (0-1, 3.38)
Ross is attempting to break a three-start losing streak and hasn’t posted a victory since April 12. He pitched a season-high seven innings against San Francisco in his last turn and allowed two runs and seven hits. Ross is 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against Arizona.
Anderson tossed six shutout innings of two-hit ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn but wasn’t involved in the decision. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings against Colorado in his previous start to suffer his lone loss of the campaign. Anderson is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career starts against the Padres, including a no-decision on April 15 when he allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres RHP Craig Kimbrel on Friday converted his ninth consecutive save opportunity.
2. Goldschmidt is 5-for-16 with two homers and one triple against Ross.
3. San Diego will place 1B Yonder Alonso (shoulder) on the disabled list and recall OF Abraham Almonte from Triple-A El Paso prior to Saturday’s game.
PREDICTION: Padres 8, Diamondbacks 6