Game #3: Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals

Lance Lynn RHP, 0-0, N/A

Brandon McCarthy RHP, 0-0, N/A

Diamondbacks line-up

1. Gerardo Parra, CF
2. Martin Prado, 3B
3. Aaron Hill, 2B
4. Miguel Montero, C
5. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
6. Jason Kubel, LF
7. A.J. Pollock, CF
8. Cliff Pennington, SS
9. Brandon McCarthy, P

Back to the Opening Day line-up for our manager. Using the same line-up twice in a series? Where is Kirk Gibson and what have you done with him? It's the rubber game of the series, and I think it's safe to say that a victory here would be rather welcome. Winning the opening series of the season is always important, especially at home, and the psychological gap between being 2-1 and 1-2 is probably much bigger than a single game.

As you'd expect, the Cardinals don't have much experience against McCarthy - it's the first time he has ever faced them as a starter. Ty Wiggington and Matt Holliday are the only St. Louis players to have seen him before: Wigginton is 2-for-14 with a homer., and Holliday hitless in four at-bats, mostly when from the time when McCarthy was playing with Texas. Lynn started against us last May, and got the win with five shutout innings, holding us to three hits and four walks, with seven strikeouts. Not much track record to go on here either, with Arizona a collective 5-for-18 with two walks and three K's. Gerardo Parra has the only extra-base hit off Lynn.

It'll be kishi after the game, on his first recap of the 2013 season. And here's something to keep an eye out for, or make a small wager on...

#Dbacks if you want to win a beverage from a non-twitter pal ...Putz to pitch the ninth Weds "probably one way or another," Gibson said.

— Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder) April 3, 2013