Astros at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks' near-record run of winning consecutive series might be over, but the team don't seem to be sweating their first back-to-back setbacks of the season. The Diamondbacks attempt to put a two-game skid to rest while extending the Houston Astros' losing streak to a season-high four Friday when the two division leaders begin a three-game set in Arizona.
"As sure as I'm sitting here right now, I knew that we were probably going to lose two in a row at some point this year. So it's OK. Tomorrow's another day," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters following Thursday's 5-2 defeat against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona became the last team in the majors to lose consecutive games while also halting the National League West leaders' bid to become the first NL team to win 10 consecutive series to begin a season since the 1907 Chicago Cubs. Houston ended April with a 20-10 mark to match its best 30-game start in club history before the bottom fell out for the offense to begin May. The American League West-leading Astros scored their first runs in three games this month Thursday, but they could not hold a late two-run lead in the ninth inning and fell 6-5 to the New York Yankees, wrapping up a 4-6 homestand.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (2-1, 1.73 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Kris Medlen (2016: 1-3, 7.77)
Cole wrapped up a brilliant opening month with another strong performance in a no-decision Sunday versus Oakland, permitting three runs on six hits over 6 2/3 frames while generating 22 swinging strikes and fanning 12. The former No. 1 overall pick has already struck out at least 10 batters four times, while his 61 strikeouts last month set an AL record for the month of April. Paul Goldschmidt only has two singles in 14 at-bats versus Cole, who took the loss last year against Arizona despite allowing two runs over seven innings.
Medlen will be setting foot on a big-league mound for the first time in nearly two years in place of the injured Robbie Ray after missing all of last season following a second Tommy John surgery. The 32-year-old hasn't fared particularly in the minors in 2018 (0-3, 6.00 ERA in four starts at Triple-A Reno) after struggling across three stops in the minors in 2017 (5-8, 4.95 ERA in 20 turns). Medlen is 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA in four appearances (two starts) against the Diamondbacks.
WALK-OFFS
1. Since hitting four home runs over a five-game stretch from April 10-15, Goldschmidt has not homered and driven in only one run over the last 16 contests.
2. Houston's pitching staff leads the majors with 347 strikeouts, 30 more than any other team.
3. Arizona OF Steven Souza Jr., who had been sidelined all season with a strained right pectoral, was activated Thursday and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his team debut.