Guardians send All-Star Parker Messick to mound vs. Diamondbacks

Winners in seven of their past 10 games, the Arizona Diamondbacks will look to build upon their momentum as the calendar turns to August and they try to claim the weekend series Saturday against the host Cleveland Guardians.

The Diamondbacks' bats had little bite to them for most of Friday's game, but they used a big eighth inning to rally for a 4-1 win in the opener of the three-game series. They won despite managing only six hits and nine total baserunners.

Arizona's top of the lineup played a big role in the win, as Corbin Carroll drew a walk to load the bases and Geraldo Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno and Ketel Marte each produced run-scoring singles.

"I put it on those guys," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after the win. "I ask a lot of them, externally and internally, and they accept that challenge. It's been a little inconsistent at times... but when they do things like they did tonight, we're capable of putting up four runs on anybody."

Moreno is one of the hottest hitters in the majors, with an on-base streak of 27 straight games. When you factor in just his starts, the 46-game on-base streak is a franchise record.

Despite being only a game over .500, Cleveland is just three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and are tied with division rival Minnesota for the AL's final wild-card spot. The Guardians are doing that despite having the lowest batting average (.229) and slugging percentage (.367) in the big leagues.

The Guardians managed just three hits and five walks in Friday's loss. They had only one baserunner in the final four innings, which helped keep Arizona in the game despite a very good outing from Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee.

"We just, unfortunately, were not able to get enough run support for him," said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, whose team is just 3-7 in its past 10 games.

Rookie Chase DeLauter leads the Guardians with a .277 average, but the designated hitter/outfielder is just 3-for-19 (.158) in his past six games. He also has just one extra-base hit -- a double -- in his past nine games.

The Diamondbacks also are right in postseason contention, holding the second wild-card spot in the NL.

The teams will start a couple of rookie left-handers on Saturday.

Kohl Drake (0-0, 5.00 ERA) will make his third start for the visitors. In his most recent appearance at Washington last Sunday, he pitched four innings and gave up four earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks in a 10-7 loss to the Nationals.

Parker Messick (8-6, 2.59) has pitched very well of late, having allowed just five runs (four earned) over his last four starts, a span of 24 1/3 innings.

However, he was just 1-1 in those games. The loss came in his most recent start, on the road Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Over 7 2/3 innings, Messick allowed just a run on six hits and no walks, but the Rays one-hit the Guardians in the 1-0 setback.

Messick made his big-league debut last year against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix. He threw 6 2/3 innings on Aug. 20, and he allowed one run on seven hits and a walk. He struck out six, departed with the lead, but did not get a decision as the Diamondbacks rallied to win 3-2 in 10 innings.

--Field Level Media