Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Venue: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Where to watch: Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Arizona
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Diamondbacks -155, Reds +135
BetMGM: Diamondbacks -165, Reds +135
Caesars: Diamondbacks -161, Reds +140
Season record
Reds: 21-39
Diamondbacks: 29-33
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Reds - Diamondbacks preview and analysis
The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds meet again for the second time a week, once again in Phoenix, with both teams trying to find some sort of equal momentum after a rough go for both teams over the weekend.
I guess if we're trying to find some sort of silver lining for both clubs, they're coming off wins on Sunday to avoid being swept, so there is absolutely a reason to party in Arizona or Cincinnati this weekend.
The Reds escaped St. Louis with a 7-6 win against the Cardinals, holding off a ninth-inning comeback from the now first-place Red Birds. TJ Friedl hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the seventh, and Tommy Pham took a break from slapping Mike Trout for his fantasy football shenanigans and homered to get the win.
That triple from Friedl broke a 4-all tie. Pham, the former Cardinal, homered in the eighth.
"I was just looking for something to pull, to get a good pitch to hit," Friedl said. "Got ahead 3-1 and I got that fastball middle-in and put a pretty good swing on it."
We're really in the Twilight Zone given how crazy the Reds have stabalized things following their 3-23 start, going 18-16 since. They're still nowhere close to sniffing the top of the division, but the fact that they're even playing respectable baseball is incredible.
"To me it says what I already know about our players," Cincinnati manager David Bell said. "They don't really get fazed by too much. They just keep playing and continue to compete. It sure is nice when we're rewarded with success. Today, a big win."
The Reds are a group that won't quit, as evidence of what happened in this game. And as they showed in the four-game series against Arizona a week ago, they'll hang around by taking the first two and threaten a sweep, but these Diamondbacks tend to find a way.
Arizona, much like Cincy, was getting blitzed by a red-hot team in the Philadelphia Phillies, but bounced back with a surprising offensive outburst in a 13-1 win in Philadelphia. The D-backs scored 13 runs on 12 hits, with Christian Walker providing three of them on three hits, and Alek Thomas went 2 for 4 with two RBI of his own.
Surprisingly enough, the D-backs only needed one home run on this night. And it was a pinch-hit blast from Jake McCarthy.
"We knew they were riding high," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said of ending the Phillies' nine-game winning streak. "(Thomson) has them playing great baseball. We knew we'd have to play a really good game, perfect baseball. So it's nice to come away with a victory."
This pitching matchup does Cincinnati no favors starting out. Mike Minor, who has lost his first two starts with Cincy, gets the call and hopefully third time is the charm, because Merrill Kelly is taking the mound for the D-backs. And that's trouble for the Reds.
Prediction
Kelly being on the mound against Minor, who has struggled mightily to start, does not bode well for the road team. Expecting an easy win for the snakes. Diamondbacks win 7-4
Betting trends
Reds are 8-12 as an underdog between +125 and +175 this season.
Reds are 4-16 against NL West teams this season.
Diamondbacks are 25-18 the past three seasons as a favorite.
Projected lineup
Reds:
Nick Senzel (R) CF
Brandon Drury (R) 3B
Tommy Pham (R) DH
Joey Votto (L) 1B
Kyle Farmer (R) SS
Matt Reynolds (R) 2B
TJ Friedl (L) LF
Aristides Aquino (R) RF
Aramis Garcia (R) C
SP - Mike Minor
Diamondbacks:
Daulton Varsho (L) DH
Pavin Smith (L) RF
Josh Rojas (L) 3B
Christian Walker (R) 1B
David Peralta (L) LF
Alek Thomas (L) CF
Geraldo Perdomo (S) SS
Jake Hager (R) 2B
Jose Herrera (S) C
SP - Merrill Kelly
Statistical leaders
Reds:
Batting average: Brandon Drury -- .277
Home runs: Brandon Drury -- 11
RBI: Kyle Farmer -- 35
Wins: Hunter Greene -- 3
ERA: Tyler Mahle -- 5.07
Diamondbacks:
Batting average: Ketel Marte -- .267
Home runs: Christian Walker -- 15
RBI: Christian Walker -- 31
Wins: Merrill Kelly -- 5
ERA: Merrill Kelly -- 3.32
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