Cleveland @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 22, 2011 ) Cleveland 7, Arizona 3

THE STORY: The Arizona Diamondbacks seek to rebound from a horrific loss when they open a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians on Monday. The Diamondbacks led with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday before the Detroit Tigers exploded for seven runs to hand Arizona an 8-3 loss. It was the Diamondbacks’ second straight defeat as they fell 1 1/2 games behind San Francisco in the National League West. Cleveland lost 3-1 to San Francisco on Sunday to lose its third straight game to the Giants. Overall, the Indians have lost five of six games to fall one game behind the Tigers in the American League Central.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, STO, FSAZ.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mitch Talbot (2-4, 4.91) vs. Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (8-2, 2.90)

Talbot has is 0-3 in four June starts and hasn’t won since May 31. He received a no-decision in his last outing when he gave up three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies last Tuesday. Talbot is making his ninth start of the season. He missed six-plus weeks with elbow issues before returning in late May. Talbot has never faced Arizona.

Kennedy’s next victory will equal last year’s win total. The All-Star candidate has allowed one or fewer earned runs nine times this season, including three of his four June outings. Kennedy beat Kansas City in his last start when he gave up one run and eight hits in six innings. This will be Kennedy’s second career outing against Cleveland. He had a no-decision in 2008 as a member of the New York Yankees.

ABOUT THE DIAMONDBACKS (43-36): Sunday’s loss to Detroit was just Arizona’s second when leading after seven innings this season. The Diamondbacks are 32-2 in such games. Closer J.J. Putz was deemed unavailable after pitching three of the previous four days and Aaron Heilman (loss) and David Hernandez (blown save) were unable to protect the lead. Outfielder Justin Upton had his 13th multi-hit game in June and is batting .396 during the month. Upton has homered just once in June after entering the month with 11. Miguel Montero and Ryan Roberts had three hits on Sunday. The three-game series with Cleveland is Arizona’s final home games prior to the All-Star break.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (40-36): Cleveland is just 10-21 after jumping out to a 30-15 start. The Indians had just four runs and 13 hits while being swept by San Francisco and batted just .143 in the series. Cleveland hitters struck out 16 times in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco. Shelley Duncan struck out in all four at-bats. Grady Sizemore fanned twice has struck out 30 times in 84 at-bats this month. Sizemore is batting just .190 in June. Asdrubal Cabrera and Orlando Cabrera each had two hits Sunday. Injured outfielder Shin-Soo Choo will have his broken left thumb examined Monday to see if he needs surgery. Choo was hit by a pitch from San Francisco’s Jonathan Sanchez on Friday.

FINAL PITCH: Upton is making the case that Kennedy should be part of the National League All-Star team for the game that will be played in Arizona’s ballpark. “I’ve said that multiple times, that he’s been unbelievable this year and he deserves to be there,” Upton said. “He’s been about as tough as I’ve ever seen. He’s gone out every single outing and battled to keep us in the game.”