Padres at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks own one of the best home records in the majors, but that doesn't necessarily mean left-hander Robbie Ray will be thrilled to take the mound at Chase Field on Tuesday night. Ray looks to win his fourth consecutive start when the Diamondbacks open a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres.
In winning three straight starts for the first time in his career, Ray has been absolutely dominant, not permitting a run in 23 2/3 innings during that span. All three wins have come on the road, where Ray has posted a superb 4-1 record and 0.64 ERA as compared to a 1-2 mark and unsightly 6.75 ERA at home. While Arizona is looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat, the Padres have dropped two in a row after ripping off a five-game winning streak. San Diego is 4-6 against the Diamondbacks this season and dropped three of four in Arizona in April.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Dinelson Lamet (2-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (5-3, 3.00)
Lamet has won both of his first two major league starts, going five innings in each and allowing a combined three runs on eight hits to beat the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. He has fanned eight in each outing and can join Stephen Strasburg and Masahiro Tanaka as the only pitchers to strike out eight in each of their first three starts. He has held right-handed batters to 2-for-12.
Ray is coming off his first career shutout, and first complete game, blanking Pittsburgh on four hits while reaching 10 strikeouts for the third time this season. The 25-year-old Tennessee native has allowed eight hits during his scoreless inning streak, which started with 7 2/3 innings of two-hit ball at San Diego on May 20. Padres first baseman Wil Myers is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts versus Ray.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt is 12-for-30 with one homer and eight RBIs versus the Padres this season.
2. San Diego's Nos. 1-4 hitters were 0-for-15 Sunday, marking the first time this season that one of them failed to reach base.
3. Arizona INF-OF Chris Owings is hitless in 13 at-bats but is 12-for-36 with three homers and 10 RBIs against the Padres in 2017.