Giants at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have won each of their first five series for the first time in their 21-year history, doing so by taking care of business inside the National League West. The Diamondbacks return home from a 6-3 road trip and attempt to avoid consecutive losses for the first time in 2018 on Tuesday when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game set.
Arizona (11-4), playing 12 of its first 15 contests against division opponents, has won nine of them to match the 2000 and 2008 clubs for the best 15-game start in franchise history. The Diamondbacks boast the NL's fourth-highest scoring offense and third-best staff ERA, although both areas took a bit of a hit Sunday when their three-game winning streak came to an end following a 7-2 setback at Dodger Stadium. The Giants dropped two of three at home during Arizona's nine-game trek and are struggling on offense again this season (46 runs, third-worst mark in the majors) after finishing second-to-last in runs scored in 2017. San Francisco fell 10-1 on Sunday to San Diego to suffer its third straight loss and has scored one run or fewer in eight of its 15 games.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (1-0, 0.69 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (2-0, 2.45)
Cueto (ankle) is expected to come off the disabled list in time to make his first start since April 4, when he held Seattle to one run on eight hits across six innings. The two-time All-Star opened the season in dominant fashion March 30 but ended up with a no-decision after yielding a single in seven scoreless frames versus the Dodgers. Cueto won both his turns against Arizona last year to improve to 11-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 15 starts versus the Diamondbacks.
Corbin failed to factor into the decision for the first time Tuesday at San Francisco, permitting three runs on five hits to along with a pair of walks and nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 frames. The 28-year-old New York native ranks second in the majors in strikeouts per nine innings (14.24), posting a 0.93 WHIP while fanning no fewer than eight in any of his three outings. Hunter Pence is 15-for-35 with four homers versus Corbin, who is 5-7 with a 3.42 ERA in 20 appearances (18 starts) versus the Giants.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt, who has clubbed each of his four home runs this season over the last five games, is batting .417 with eight RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.
2. San Francisco will face a left-handed starter for the 11th time this season - most in the majors.
3. Arizona has won all five of its series openers.