The Arizona Diamondbacks go for eight straight wins tonight as they look to complete a clean sweep of their three-game home series against the Houston Astros.
We played the D'backs last night and they pounded a season-high 19 hits and scored 12 runs in an easy victory.
Every Arizona starter except winning pitcher Miguel Batista had a base hit and we see no reason to jump off them tonight in the role of home underdog.
Red-hot Arizona have gone from three games under .500 to four games over .500 and at 40-36 are third in the NL West.
Elmer Dessens starts for the D'backs tonight and the 32 year-old right-hander is 4-4 with a 5.38 ERA this season. Arizona have beaten the Reds and Twins the last two times Dessens has started although he has failed to figure in the decision his last five starts. He can expect some very solid offensive support tonight as the D'backs have homered in nine straight games and are hitting .323 against right-handers through their last ten games while Houston are hitting just .251. We also give an edge to Arizona's available bullpen whose ERA of 2.45 through their last 18 innings pitched compares very favorably with Houston's 5.68.
The Astros are 41-36 overall this season to be second in the NL Central.
Wade Miller toes the mound for the Astros looking to improve on his 5-7 record and 4.58 ERA in 2003. He has thrown 100+ pitches in four of his last five starts and is 3-1 during this stretch. Jeff Kent has missed the Astros last six games and is listed as day-to-day with a sore wrist. They will also be without second baseman Jose Vizcaino who broke his left wrist Tuesday.
Tonight we'll once again go with Arizona to continue on their winning way.
Recommended Play: Diamondbacks +125
We played the D'backs last night and they pounded a season-high 19 hits and scored 12 runs in an easy victory.
Every Arizona starter except winning pitcher Miguel Batista had a base hit and we see no reason to jump off them tonight in the role of home underdog.
Red-hot Arizona have gone from three games under .500 to four games over .500 and at 40-36 are third in the NL West.
Elmer Dessens starts for the D'backs tonight and the 32 year-old right-hander is 4-4 with a 5.38 ERA this season. Arizona have beaten the Reds and Twins the last two times Dessens has started although he has failed to figure in the decision his last five starts. He can expect some very solid offensive support tonight as the D'backs have homered in nine straight games and are hitting .323 against right-handers through their last ten games while Houston are hitting just .251. We also give an edge to Arizona's available bullpen whose ERA of 2.45 through their last 18 innings pitched compares very favorably with Houston's 5.68.
The Astros are 41-36 overall this season to be second in the NL Central.
Wade Miller toes the mound for the Astros looking to improve on his 5-7 record and 4.58 ERA in 2003. He has thrown 100+ pitches in four of his last five starts and is 3-1 during this stretch. Jeff Kent has missed the Astros last six games and is listed as day-to-day with a sore wrist. They will also be without second baseman Jose Vizcaino who broke his left wrist Tuesday.
Tonight we'll once again go with Arizona to continue on their winning way.
Recommended Play: Diamondbacks +125