Diamondbacks at Athletics
The Arizona Diamondbacks' nine-game road trip has been nothing short of a disaster thus far, but they look to turn things around Friday as they visit the Oakland Athletics for the opener of a three-game interleague series. Arizona began its trek by being swept in three-game sets at the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers, and it arrives in Oakland having lost seven straight overall and 13 of its last 14 contests.
The Diamondbacks suffered a 9-2 loss on Wednesday, with Paul Goldschmidt and John Ryan Murphy belting solo homers, to finish with four runs and 10 hits in the three-game series against the Brewers. Oakland salvaged the finale of its three-game set against Seattle on Thursday, scoring four runs in the first inning and holding on for a 4-3 triumph. Marcus Semien singled and scored a run for the Athletics to avoid going hitless in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
TV: 9:35 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (4-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Sean Manaea (5-4, 2.71)
Corbin's winless streak reached five starts on Saturday as he came away without a decision in his home state after allowing two runs on four hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings against the host New York Mets. The 28-year-old has issued nine free passes in his last three turns after giving out the same amount over his first seven outings this season. Corbin, who hasn't recorded a decision in four road starts this year, will be facing Oakland for the first time in his career.
Manaea's season has taken a turn since the calendar turned to May, as he has gone 1-2 with a 5.96 ERA in four starts while surrendering four runs in each outing. The 26-year-old native of Indiana allowed a total of five runs while posting a 4-2 record in six turns prior to this month. Manaea has yet to face Arizona but is 2-4 with a 3.63 ERA in eight career interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Semien has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, registering seven two-hit performances in that span.
2. Goldschmidt, who has hit .297 or better each of the last five seasons, is batting just .200 in 2018 and has not recorded a multi-hit performance since going 3-for-5 at Philadelphia on April 26.
3. Oakland turned five double plays on Thursday, its highest total since Aug. 2, 2010 versus Kansas City and one shy of the team record.