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Well, at least it's not the Phillies. Or the Braves. So maybe we can score more than two runs? As noted, the Diamondbacks offense has been rank to historic levels on this road-trip, and if that continues, we probably won't be in first for long. The solution is simple: get some damn hits. Ideally, strung together into significant chains of them. Seems like a plan. Who's with me? We're facing a pitcher who has gone 0-3 since coming back to the rotation, though hasn't exactly pitched badly, having allowed six runs in 16 innings, a 3.38 ERA. Meanwhile, if Joe could avoid regressing any further than the 10 runs in 12 IP in his past two outings, that'd be helpful.
- Ryan Roberts 3B
- Kelly Johnson 2B
- Justin Upton RF
- Chris Young CF
- Paul Goldschmidt 1B
- Cody Ransom SS
- Collin Cowgill LF
- Henry Blanco C
- Joe Saunders LHP
I was excited to see Roberts in the lead-off slot. But it kinda goes downhill from there, especially when seeing us use a clean-up hitter who is batting .164 with a .521 OPS over 41 D-backs games since Independence Day. That's a quarter of a season. Admittedly, options are limited, but what comes to mind is that famous definition of insanity - repeating the same actions over and over, hoping for a different result. No Gerado Parra, no Miguel Montero, though given there's a lefty on the mound, neither absence is entirely unexpected.
Win, and the lead is back to two games, since the Giants aren't playing tonight. Lose, and it's down to one game. Simple as that.