San Diego @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2012 ) Arizona 6, San Diego 0
Arizona has homered in 12 straight games heading into Monday's series opener against the Padres. But shoddy defense is holding back the Diamondbacks. They committed two throwing errors in the ninth Sunday, leading to their second straight loss, 2-1 in Milwaukee.
Left fielder Jason Kubel is 6-for-16 over his last four games, and leads Arizona with 12 homers and 51 RBIs.
At 39-39, Arizona is five games behind division-leading San Francisco and 10 ahead of last-place San Diego. The Padres have won two straight, including Sunday’s 2-0 win over Colorado.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FS-A, FSSD
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (5-8, 3.77 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Trevor Cahill (6-6, 3.67 ERA)
Richard retired 21 of the 23 batters he faced Wednesday in Houston, and has pitched at least 6 2/3 innings in four straight starts. But he has yielded three homers in his last two starts. Batters are hitting .250 against him. In five starts against Arizona, he’s 3-0 with a 4.45 ERA.
Cahill walked four in five innings last time out, a 6-4 loss in Atlanta. But Arizona had won his previous four starts. Batters are hitting .244 against Cahill, who’s 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two turns against the Padres this season. On June 3 in San Diego, he tossed a six-hit shutout while fanning five and walking three.
WALK-OFFS:
1. D-Backs 2B Aaron Hill, who hit for the cycle twice in an 11-day span recently, is a candidate for the final spot on the NL All-Star team. It will be decided by a fan vote.
2. Starter Wade Miley (9-4, 2.87 ERA) was the only Diamondback named to the All-Star team.
3. Reliever Huston Street (1.29 ERA, 12-for-12 on save chances) was the only Padre named to the All-Star team.