D-backs, shuffling table-setters, pursue series win over Rangers

The top three batters in the Arizona Diamondbacks' lineup -- Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo -- have not found the form that keyed an offensive surge the last two seasons, although manager Torey Lovullo is trying.

After producing a combined four hits and the game's only run in the series opener against the Texas Rangers on Monday, the trio will seek an encore on Tuesday in the middle contest of a three-game series at Arlington, Texas.

Marte has hit first and second, Carroll has hit second and third, and Perdomo has hit in all three spots at the top of the order as the Diamondbacks attempt to kick-start an offense that ranks in the bottom third in scoring this season after leading the majors in runs (886) in 2024 and placing sixth (791) last season.

"We need those top three to get moving in the right direction," Lovullo said.

They took a step in the right direction on Monday, when back-to-back doubles from Carroll and Perdomo in the first inning were all the D-backs needed in a 1-0 victory. Marte went 1-for-4, Carroll 1-for-2 with two walks and Perdomo 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Lovullo said of eking out a low-scoring win, "It's not anything we want to keep doing. We want to bang the baseball and score a lot of runs."

Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (1-3, 4.70 ERA) is to oppose Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 5.18) on Tuesday.

The Diamondbacks rank 27th in on-base percentage and 24rd in OPS.

Carroll is off to the best start of the top-of-the-lineup trio, hitting .261 with five homers and 20 RBIs. Perdomo improved his average to .228, and Marte is batting .213.

"They are all doing OK, but I think they are better than just doing OK," Lovullo said.

Texas had only four hits off Michael Soroka and three relievers on Monday after shutting out the Chicago Cubs in the final two games of a weekend series.

"The last two days were good," Texas manager Skip Schumaker said. "(Monday) not so great. Lot of ground balls to the pull side, which falls into (the D-backs') game plan. We chased some sliders off the plate that we were trying not to do, obviously."

Gallen is 0-2 with a 5.08 ERA in his past six starts and is looking for his first victory since April 1. He threw a season-high 100 pitches in a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in which he gave up four runs and two homers in six innings. He has struggled on the road this season, going 0-2 with a 7.13 ERA in four starts.

He has had a good success against the Rangers, going 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in six career starts. He has no decisions and a 5.40 ERA in two starts at Globe Life Field. Jake Burger is 4-for-8 with two homers against Gallen, while slumping Corey Seager is 7-for-24 (.292) vs. Gallen.

After a strong start, Gore is 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA since April 8, when he threw five scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

The last time out, Gore held a 2-1 lead through five innings against the New York Yankees on Thursday before giving up five runs in the sixth and taking a 9-2 loss. His line looked worse than it could have, as a catchable popup that fell for a hit helped fuel the Yankees' rally.

"I think after every good or bad outing, you have to be honest," Gore said. "There's definitely some things we did better than the last one here. We're going to move on. It's frustrating right now."

Gore is 0-2 with a 4.86 ERA in four games (three starts) against Arizona. Nolan Arenado is 4-for-12 with a homer off him, while Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 5-for-9.

--Field Level Media