The Arizona Diamondbacks hope to move above .500 for the first time since April 3 when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series in Phoenix.
The Diamondbacks are in that position after winning eight of their past 12 games, including a 1-0 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Arizona was one out away from moving over the break-even mark on Monday before closer Paul Sewald allowed a tying two-run homer to Atlanta’s Sean Murphy. The Braves eventually won in 11 innings.
The Diamondbacks won the last two games of the four-game set against Atlanta after losing the first two.
Eugenio Suarez supplied the lone run Thursday as he homered for the second straight game. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt pitched six shutout innings and Jake McCarthy prevented another blown lead with a stellar defensive play for the second out in the ninth.
Atlanta’s Matt Olson hit a long drive to left that was going to clear the fence, but McCarthy leaped and robbed Olson of the tying homer.
“I was in position. All I had to do was jump a little bit and reach over the fence,” McCarthy said, downplaying the catch. “I’m just happy because it was a big situation for it and our pitchers really balled out today, so I’m glad we came out with the win.”
The big play also prevented Sewald from blowing his fourth save chance in the past five opportunities.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was thrilled over the effort.
“That’s a D-back type of win,” Lovullo said. “That’s what we believe in and what we talk about. And when we go out there and do it, it’s just very powerful.”
The Blue Jays have won four of their past five games and are 4-2 thus far on a nine-game Western road trip.
Toronto received homers from Danny Jansen and Spencer Horowitz on Thursday in 5-3 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Jansen had been dealing with a power outage since last homering on May 20.
“That definitely felt good,” Jansen said of the latest long ball. “I’ve been grinding for the past however many weeks, but I’ve been trying to have good at-bats and pass it on to the next guy. To square one up definitely felt good, and I just want to build off that.”
Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette (right calf strain) and outfielder Daulton Varsho (left knee contusion) both sat out the Thursday game.
While Varsho, a former Diamondback, might play in the Arizona series, the Blue Jays aren’t as positive about Bichette. They are weighing whether to put him on the 10-day injured list with the upcoming All-Star break also offering time for Bichette to heal.
Rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-3, 3.68 ERA) starts for Toronto in the opener and will be looking to follow up a stellar outing.
Rodriguez earned his first major league win on Saturday when he allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings against the Seattle Mariners. He struck out six and walked two.
Rodriguez, 27, also fared well against the Houston Astros in his previous turn despite taking the loss. He gave up one run and two hits in 6 2/3 innings on July 1.
Right-hander Ryne Nelson (6-6, 5.08 ERA) will take the mound for the Diamondbacks.
Nelson allowed two runs or less in four of his past five starts, going 3-1 with a 3.49 ERA during that span.
He beat the San Diego Padres on Sunday when he gave up one run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Nelson received a no-decision nearly 12 months ago in his lone career start against Toronto. He gave up two runs (one earned) and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered off Nelson.
–Field Level Media