Reds at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are stumbling home with 15 losses in their last 17 games after going 1-8 on their just-completed road trip. Once 13 games over .500, the Diamondbacks now are sitting at 26-26 and hoping to get untracked Monday afternoon, when they open a three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
The slumping Paul Goldschmidt was moved to the second spot in the batting order over the weekend and went 3-for-12 with two RBIs as the Diamondbacks dropped two of three in Oakland. The five-time All-Star is batting .205 with six homers and 16 RBIs this season but has registered eight blasts and 20 RBIs in 37 career games versus Cincinnati. The Reds fell to 16-20 under interim manager Jim Riggleman with Sunday’s 8-2 loss to Colorado, which featured another multi-hit performance by Scooter Gennett. Cincinnati lost two of three to the Rockies despite a strong series from Joey Votto, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored on Sunday but has recorded just one RBI in his last 13 games.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (1-6, 6.21 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Matt Koch (2-3, 3.77)
Bailey’s dismal season continued on Wednesday, when he allowed four runs on 10 hits and three walks in five-plus innings against Pittsburgh. The 32-year-old Texan has recorded only one win in 11 starts this season and owns a 9-19 record and 6.33 ERA over his last four injury-plagued seasons. Bailey is 1-1 with a 3.42 ERA in five career starts versus Arizona, including a 1-1 mark and 4.70 ERA in two turns at Chase Field.
Koch suffered his third straight loss Tuesday against Milwaukee despite allowing one run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old rookie has struggled to keep the ball in the park, giving up a total of eight home runs over his last five starts. Koch has posted a 4.55 ERA in five starts at home compared to a 2.03 mark in three games (two starts) away from Chase Field.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona is 11-6 in its last 17 games against the Reds, including 3-3 last season.
2. Cincinnati relief pitchers have gone 5-1 with a 2.64 ERA over the last 19 contests.
3. The Diamondbacks have had a record of .500 or better for 214 consecutive games since the start of last season.