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Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks strive sweep of Giants

Two pitchers on opposite ends of the support spectrum go head to head Thursday afternoon when Merrill Kelly and the Arizona Diamondbacks try for a three-game roadway sweep of Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants.

The Diamondbacks have actually ridden strong trips from beginning pitchers Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen to early leads before holding off late rallies by the Giants for 8-7 and 6-4 wins in the very first two video games of the series.

The victories have actually enabled Arizona (79-61) to maintain its standing in the No. 2 wild-card playoff position in the National League.

Meanwhile, the Giants (68-72), a longshot to make the playoffs at the start of the series, have dug themselves an even larger hole, falling 81/2 video games out of the last wild-card spot with simply 22 to play.

If the Thursday series ending becomes another high-scoring affair, Kelly ( 4-0, 4.30 ERA) would feel right in the house. He was bailed out by a powerful offense in 4 August begins after returning from a strained right shoulder.

The right-hander went 2-0 despite a 6.75 ERA in August, gaining from an Arizona offense that set up 32 runs in his 4 starts.

The 35-year-old will be dealing with the Giants for the very first time this season. He is 7-5 with a 3.34 ERA versus them in 18 lifetime starts.

The Diamondbacks have put up 40 runs in their past five video games regardless of missing out on one of their top hitters, Ketel Marte, who is out due to a sprained left ankle.

Marte made the journey to San Francisco, and while it is unlikely that he would be activated in time for the series ending, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo fully anticipates the All-Star to be back in the lineup during his team's. three-game series at Houston later on today.

I have actually been around enough time to know that when I see certain habits, that. it's going to be faster than later, he said of Marte's return. So yeah, I'm. hoping (his return is) before the journey is over.

The Diamondbacks would figure to require all hands on deck versus Snell (2-3,. 3.56 ERA), who hasn't gotten a decision in any of his past 4 starts regardless of. allowing simply four runs in 23 1/3 innings. The Giants have put up a total of. just 11 runs in those contests, 8 after Snell left the game.

The left-hander was on the losing end of a 17-1 shellacking dealt by the. Diamondbacks in San Francisco on April 19, a game in which he yielded five. operate on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old has gone 5-2 with a 1.86. Age versus the Diamondbacks in nine career meetings.

Snell will be pitching for the first time considering that the announcement that he 'd. been named the NL Pitcher of the Month for August, a month in which he posted. a 1.64 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. He threw a no-hitter against. the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2.

Snell hasn't been the only Giants starter of late who has been irritated by. the San Francisco offense. The Giants have scored nine of their 11 runs in. this series in the seventh inning or later on, well after the starter has actually combated. his fight.

Attempting to put pressure on the starter early in the video game, score some runs--. it takes the pressure off our starters, Giants supervisor Bob Melvin stated. We. talk about it a lot. We attempt to prepare the best we can for a starter, and it's. really been all year that we have actually struggled with that.

-- Field Level Media

(source: Reuters)