Arizona @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2012 ) Arizona 12, Houston 4

Eventually someone was going to take the fall for the Houston Astros’ terrible record. That person turns out to be manager Brad Mills, who was let go by the team Saturday night after a 12-4 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mills went 171-274 in nearly three seasons with the team. The Diamondbacks will try to greet the interim manager the same way they left Mills and clinch a three-game sweep behind Ian Kennedy on Sunday.

Houston made the decision to go with an aggressive rebuilding plan in July and shipped away nearly all the veterans from the roster, shedding almost $40 million in payroll. The Astros have gone 7-32 over the last 39 games and have often looked foolish in the process, with one game in particular sticking out last week when two errors on the same play allowed a game-winning run to score. Arizona has tightened up its level of play of late to crawl back to within five games of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West and five back of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second wild card spot.

TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (10-10, 4.35 ERA) vs. Astros RH Armando Galarraga (0-3,5.75)

Kennedy has been knocked around for 11 runs (eight earned) and 14 hits over 10 total innings in his last two starts - both losses. The right-hander has served up four home runs in that span and his 23 homers allowed is tied for the second-highest total in the NL. Kennedy has faced the Astros only once in his career, scattering eight hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings to earn a win. He is 5-8 with a 4.03 ERA in 14 road starts in 2012.

Galarraga is one of the pitchers getting a chance after Houston sent away rotation staples J.A. Happ and Wandy Rodriguez as part of the payroll purge. Galarraga has yet to get out of the sixth inning in four starts and has issued 16 walks in 20 1/3 total innings. The right-hander, who made eight starts for Arizona last season, is 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA in two starts against his former team.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Astros also let go of first base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Mike Barnett. General manager Jeff Luhnow will name interim replacements in a news conference Sunday.

2. Diamondbacks LF Jason Kubel (stiff neck) has missed the last two games but could return Sunday.

3. Houston clinched a losing season (39-82) with Saturday’s loss.