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Diamondbacks Lineup
- A.J. Pollock - CF
- Gerardo Parra - RF
- Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
- Miguel Montero - C
- Martin Prado - 3B
- Aaron Hill - 2B
- Chris Owings - SS
- Ender Inciarte - LF
- Bronson Arroyo - P
The last couple of games have certainly buoyed optimism around Diamondbacks fandom, being the first time this season we have won consecutively by four runs or more: we had an offensive explosion in the finale of the Padres series, then one of the best pitching performance over the past few years last night. Thursday's victory also guaranteed us a winning record for the month of May, since we're 14-11 with two games left. Quite a turnaround from the 9-22 we had through the end of April. Indeed, only the Giants and Marlins have a better record this month in the National League. Probably still too big a hole to compete, but I'll take clawing back toward respectability for now.
Montero returns to the line-up, and Inciarte is also back, in place of Cody Ross. Arroyo faces his old team, for whom he made 265 starts from 2006 through the end of last season. So, he should be pretty familiar with most of their hitters - but it's a sword which cuts both ways, with their hitters being equally familiar with him. As mentioned earlier in the week, if he can keep the ball in the park, which he has been doing a lot better of late, there's a good chance things will work out well for him and the Diamondbacks. And if it doesn't, well, you can always amuse yourself with Fox Sports Arizona's latest diversion:
Check your velocity readings tonight as we play Bronson Bingo on @FOXSPORTSAZ #Dbacks pic.twitter.com/2t1BqnD4VM
— Steve Berthiaume (@BertDbacks) May 30, 2014
A very special beercap tonight, as edbigghead will be joining Turambar for this one. We can only imagine, in fear and trembling, what to expect as a result. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes... The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria! And that's if we win. God help us if we lose....