Game #41 Preview: 5/22, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago Cubs

Jon Lester RHP, 4-2, 3.70

Josh Collmenter RHP, 3-5, 5.36

Dexter Fowler - CF	Ender Inciarte - LF
Kris Bryant - 3B	A.J. Pollock - CF
Anthony Rizzo - 1B	Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
Starlin Castro - SS	Yasmany Tomas - 3B
Jorge Soler - RF	Mark Trumbo - RF
Junior Lake - LF	Chris Owings - 2B
David Ross - C	Tuffy Gosewisch - C
Jon Lester - LHP	Nick Ahmed - SS
Addison Russell - 2B	Josh Collmenter - RHP

Hey, remember the Padres, who spent all that money and made all those trades over the winter? Guess which team the Diamondbacks are now level with, in the NL West standings? Yep, those same Padres. We also have a rather better run differential than San Diego, at +13 compared to -18, so if anything, we're "unlucky" to be level with them. Actually, Arizona's run differential is also better than that of San Francisco's +10. This will happen when you have a losing record in one-run games (6-7, even after winning two games in Florida that way) and a winning record in blowouts (8-5).

Certainly, the Cubs should be a tougher test for the Diamondbacks than the Marlins provided. The latter were more in the nature of a tune-up, allowing us to regain some form over an extended period, like taking a racing car out for a couple of laps while you tune-up the ending. Good to see the heavy lumber back out there, most obviously the return of Paul Goldschmidt. It was good of him to get his annual day off out of the way early. I trust we will not be seeing its like again for the remaining three-quarters of the season.

Game notes

• Arizona has won 5 straight games vs. Chicago. The last time the D-backs won 6 in a row was during a 7-game streak from July 13-Aug. 17, 2001.
• Collmenter has never lost to the Cubs, being 1-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his six games and 21.1 IP against them.
  
• Tomás has six straight multi-hit games, leaving him currently one shy of Luis Gonzalez's club mark, set from June 6-13, 2001. Yasmany is 13-for-26 in that time.
• No Miguel Montero in the starting line-up for the Cubs tonight. Wonder if he begged off?