Houston @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2011 ) Houston 9, Arizona 11

THE STORY: Twice this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks have recovered from a six-run deficit to notch a victory. Both comebacks have come against the Houston Astros. The Diamondbacks enter Wednesday’s third contest of the four-game series feeling giddy about overturning a 7-1 deficit and beating the Astros 11-9 on Tuesday. Earlier this season, Arizona trailed Houston 6-0 on May 27 before recovering for a 7-6 victory. Tuesday’s rally marked the sixth time in franchise history that the Diamondbacks have rallied from six runs down to win. Arizona remains a half-game behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West. Houston has lost four of its last five games.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSH (Houston), FSAZ (Arizona).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Henry Sosa (0-0, 0.00) vs. Diamondbacks RH Josh Collmenter (6-7, 3.58)

The 26-year-old Sosa makes his major-league debut after excelling in four starts at two different levels since being acquired from San Francisco as part of the package for Jeff Keppinger. Sosa had three solid starts at Double-A Corpus Christi and then pitched seven shutout innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City in his last outing. He is filling the rotation spot of J.A. Happ, who was sent to the minors on Saturday.

Collmenter has been hit hard in his last two starts (both against the Los Angeles) and allowed 11 runs and 15 hits in six innings. He gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings in last Friday’s outing against Los Angeles after being hit up five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings on July 29. Collmenter is just 3-7 after winning his first three decisions. He has faced the Astros once and took a no-decision in late May when he allowed two runs and four hits in six innings.

ABOUT THE DIAMONDBACKS (63-53): Arizona racked up 17 hits in Tuesday’s victory and had a slew of hitting heroes. Justin Upton drove in four runs and hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth inning. The homer was Upton’s 23rd of the season. He had three hits after going 2-for-19 over the previous five games. Miguel Montero had three hits and three RBIs and Gerardo Parra went 4-for-4 for the fourth four-hit game of his career. Willie Bloomquist scored three times and had two RBIs. Ryan Roberts had an eighth-inning double and has 14 hits and 13 walks over his last 12 games. J.J. Putz recorded his sixth straight save but had a shaky ninth inning in which he gave up a run and three hits. Putz has 27 saves.

ABOUT THE ASTROS (38-78): Houston has rolled up 18 runs and 30 hits in the first two games of the series. The Astros have scored nine runs in back-to-back games after having not reached that output since tallying 10 in a loss to Tampa Bay on June 26. Brian Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes both had three hits on Tuesday and both bashed their first major-league homers. Bogusevic had three RBIs. Fellow rookie J.D. Martinez hit his fourth homer in 10 games since joining the Astros. Carlos Lee was back in the lineup after a night off and reached base three times (single and two walks) and had two RBIs.

FINAL PITCH: “For me, it’s just making sure I don’t get too far away from what I’m comfortable with and what I do well. Sometimes I shy away from that a little bit and try to be too perfect.” – Collmenter on his recent struggles.