Diamondbacks at Padres
A.J. Pollock has been swinging a hot bat since the resumption of play after the All-Star break. The center fielder looks to follow up a two-hit performance in the series opener when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the San Diego Padres on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set.
Pollock recorded a run-scoring double in Friday's 6-2 victory and is 11-for-30 over his last seven games, including a 5-for-5 effort against Colorado on July 20. Arizona's Jon Jay is showing life with two-hit efforts in his last two starts after suffering through a 2-for-30 funk during an eight-game stretch. Manuel Margot homered while recording his third straight two-hit performance for San Diego and is 12-for-28 during his eight-game hitting streak. The Padres have allowed six runs in each contest of their three-game slide and have dropped 10 of their last 12 contests.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (7-4, 3.13 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (6-8, 4.29)
Corbin was 0-2 during a seven-start winless stretch before defeating the Chicago Cubs in his last turn. The 29-year-old gave up one run and six hits in seven innings against the Cubs and struck out nine without issuing a walk. Corbin defeated the Padres on April 22, when he gave up two runs and two hits with 11 strikeouts over six frames to enhance his career record versus San Diego to 6-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 17 appearances (12 starts).
Ross gave up two runs and five hits over five innings while defeating Philadelphia in his last turn after going 0-5 over his previous seven outings. The 31-year-old had a memorable performance versus Arizona on April 20, when he went 7 2/3 frames before allowing a hit and gave up just one run with a season-high 10 strikeouts in a no-decision. Ross is 4-4 with a 3.29 ERA in 15 career appearances (14 starts) against the Diamondbacks but had a disastrous outing on July 7 as he was torched for eight runs and seven hits in two innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Diamondbacks acquired INF Eduardo Escobar from Minnesota for RHP Jhoan Duran and OFs Gabriel Maciel and Ernie De La Trinidad.
2. San Diego SS Freddy Galvis notched two hits in the series opener and is 10-for-25 with a homer and seven RBIs over his last seven games.
3. Arizona placed 3B Jake Lamb (shoulder) on the 10-day disabled list, recalled Ildemaro Vargas from Triple-A Reno and designated fellow INF Jack Reinheimer for assignment.