The Arizona Diamondbacks look to build on a strong run while the Houston Astros hope to get back on track when the teams meet in a three-game series beginning Monday in Phoenix.
The Diamondbacks opened play after the All-Star break with a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, outscoring them by a combined 16-1 in the first three innings of each outing and 22-7 overall.
The American League West-leading Astros lost two out of three at top division contender Seattle. While Houston salvaged the final game with an 11-3 win Sunday to stay sweep-less in Seattle, the Astros lost another top run producer when All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes (right hamstring strain) was placed on the injured list.
Arizona third baseman Eugenio Suarez, meanwhile, stepped up in the St. Louis series. Suarez slugged two homers in each of the last two games of the series, giving him an National League-high 35 homers and a major league-best 85 RBIs.
“We all knew how important this series was,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team entered the second half more likely to sell than buy at the July 31 trade deadline.
“They want to put this team back in the middle of the race, and we did that.”
The Diamondbacks gained three games on the Cardinals in the NL wild-card race but remain 4 1/2 games behind San Diego for the final spot with the deadline approaching.
Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (7-10, 5.40 ERA) will oppose rookie left-hander Colton Gordon (3-2, 4.67) in the first game of the series on Monday.
Paredes leads the Astros with 19 homers, and his loss is another blow to a lineup that has been without middle-of-the-order bat Yordan Alvarez (broken hand) since May 2 and shortstop and leadoff hitter Jeremy Pena (broken rib) since June 27. Pena leads Houston with a .322 batting average, .378 on-base percentage and .489 slugging percentage.
Paredes suffered a strained right hamstring in a 7-6, 11-inning loss Saturday, after pulling up on his way to first after a third-inning single.
“That guy is definitely an anchor in our lineup,” said Astros first baseman Christian Walker, who homered Sunday. “He’s tough. That’s super unfortunate, but that being said, we’ve got to find a way to win anyway.”
Walker will return to Arizona for the first time since signing a three-year, $60 million deal as a free agent last winter. He had 146 homers and was a three-time Gold Glove winner in six seasons with the Diamondbacks.
“It’s next-man-up mentality,” said outfielder Taylor Trammell, who had three hits including a homer and three RBIs on Sunday. “We’re locked in. The boys are rolling. We are ready to do our jobs.”
Gallen made two of his best starts of the season in early July, giving up a combined three runs (one earned) with 19 strikeouts in 13 innings in victories over San Francisco and San Diego. However, he gave up six runs on eight hits and two walks in a 10-5 loss to the host Los Angeles Angels on July 12.
“We’ll see what happens,” Gallen said of the trade rumors. “I’m just trying to execute pitches for the D-backs at this point in time. If it happens, it happens, but, hopefully, we play a little bit better baseball and that’s not the case in the next two and a half weeks.”
Gordon will make his first start since July 7 after pitching one inning in relief on July 13, the day before the All-Star break. He has one quality start among his 10 starts.
After going 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA in four June starts, including five shutout innings in a win over Philadelphia, Gordon gave up nine runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two July starts, at Colorado and home against Cleveland.