Arizona Diamondbacks Game Preview, #79: Beat the streak

Vince Velasquez RHP, 5-2, 3.65

Robbie Ray LHP, 4-6, 4.59

Odubel Herrera - CF	Jean Segura - 2B
Peter Bourjos - RF	Michael Bourn - CF
Tommy Joseph - 1B	Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
Maikel Franco - 3B	Jake Lamb - 3B
Cameron Rupp - C	Rickie Weeks - LF
Freddy Galvis - SS	Welington Castillo - C
Tyler Goeddel - LF	Yasmany Tomas - RF
Cesar Hernandez - 2B	Nick Ahmed - SS
Vince Velasquez - RHP	Robbie Ray - LHP

The last series of the first half, and it's a chance to beat up some more on the hapless Phillies. Though, as Nate noted in his preview, they have played a bit better since we left, winning a game in Minnesota, and then almost snatching the series in San Francisco, losing the rubber game there on a walk-off. The bad news: they've averaged six runs per game since we left, more than they managed in total over the entire four-game series against us. The good news: their pitching has conceded 6.33 per game, a figure we saw only in the opener. Coincidentally, we've also averaged six runs per game since leaving Philadelphia, but conceding 29 runs over the last three games is... not good.

It's the worst streak of the year for our pitching, surpassing the 27 runs conceded from April 24-26. It's the worst since the 30 runs with which the Diamondbacks closed out last year, though 70% of those came in the 21-5 shellacking by the Astros. The last time we conceded nine runs in three consecutive games was May 2005 against the Padres, when we allowed 9, 11 and 10 at Chase [and actually won the middle game, 12-11]. To find a four-game streak, you have to go all the way back to September 2002, when we allowed 9, 15, 11, and 13 in consecutive games. Take a wild stab in the dark where those games were played. A clue: a wild stab in the dark is what their paleological mascot deserves.

That has been a change, because previously, our pitching had been an awful lot better on the road. We went into Colorado with a road ERA this season of 3.47, compared to 5.28 at Chase Field. We left with a road ERA of 3.94, almost half a run worse than on arrival. The overall line in Colorado was ugly in just about every way possible:
D-backs: 34.2 IP, 53 H, 35 R, 32 ER, 23 BB, 25 SO, 8 HR, 8.31 ERA.
Yep, that was not a well-pitched series of games for the D-backs, particularly by the bullpen. Their 12 innings of work led to 22 hits and more walks than K's (10:8), 18 runs and 15 earned runs for an 11.25 ERA. Need to do rather better than that this series, if we're to complete the season sweep of Philadelphia, obviously.