Game #141: Diamondbacks @ Dodgers

Vidal Nuno LHP, 2-9, 4.46

Dan Haren RHP, 11-10, 4.27

Ender Inciarte - LF	Yasiel Puig - CF
Chris Owings - 2B	Hanley Ramirez - SS
David Peralta - RF	Adrian Gonzalez - 1B
Mark Trumbo - 1B	Matt Kemp - RF
Miguel Montero - C	Scott Van Slyke - LF
A.J. Pollock - CF	Justin Turner - 2B
Jake Lamb - 3B	Juan Uribe - 3B
Didi Gregorius - SS	A.J. Ellis - C
Vidal Nuno - LHP	Dan Haren - RHP

The 2010 Diamondbacks re-union tour continues a pace: having faced Ian Kennedy yesterday in San Diego, we now face Dan Haren up the coast in Los Angeles. I'm sure Nuño is shaking his head at having been pushed back a day, as he continues his quest for a first win as a Diamondback. Instead of a less taxing offense in a park where fly-balls go to die, he faces the considerably more potent Dodgers offense in a park that's a good deal less friendly. This is his 11th start for Arizona, without a W, and Nuño is now getting to stage where Max Scherzer's team record of 13 is no longer so far-fetched.

Getting some offense would be helpful, though last night, the team did come within one run of posting their first consecutive Tacos since almost the beginning of June. The 13 hits were also the most for Arizona since August 9. Counterpoint: over their last nine games and 331 PAs - so, about half a season's worth for a player - they have a collective two home-runs. That's why they are slugging a woeful .308 in that time. Counter-counter-point: the pitching hasn't allowed more than three runs for the last eight, the best such streak since the very end of the 2005 season and start of 2006. Will either or both of those runs continue this evening? That's why we're here.

If you missed the news earlier, there won't be any more Ziegling being done for the rest of the season, as he is having surgery on his balky knee. Hope that all goes well, and he'll be back to his usual GIDP-generating self in time for Opening Day in 2015.