Ketel Marte, D-backs heating up ahead of opener vs. Rockies

The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games on Thursday when they host the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a four-game series in Phoenix.

The Diamondbacks won the decisive contest of the three-game series when the clubs met last weekend in Denver. The team's lone loss of the series occurred on Saturday when Tomoyuki Sugano limited the visitors to two runs in five innings in Colorado's 4-2 victory.

Arizona then returned home to sweep a three-game set from the San Francisco Giants.

Meanwhile, the Rockies have gone 1-3 since Sugano's win Saturday, including losing two of three at home to the Texas Rangers in a series that ended on Wednesday with Colorado failing to hold a lead in the ninth inning.

"There's nothing to address," Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said after the 5-4 loss. "They know. They're in the process of learning how to win. ... We had exactly what we wanted there in the ninth inning. It was just unfortunate, just didn't work out."

Arizona leadoff man Ketel Marte has been working out just fine of late.

After struggling for much of the season, Marte went 2-for-3 against Sugano and continued to heat up in the San Francisco series. He smacked a walk-off home run in a 5-3 win on Tuesday and then went deep again among three hits on Wednesday.

Marte has boosted his batting average from .209 on Friday to .235.

He credits his manager, Torey Lovullo, for his encouragement.

"Usually at this stage in the season, I have really good numbers," Marte told reporters during the San Francisco series. "But Torey has always told me, ‘You're making good contact. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're playing good defense.'

"Torey and I have a great relationship, almost like father and son. Great communication. It's very special that he's always trusted in me."

Marte will aim to stay hot against Colorado right-hander Zach Agnos (0-0, 5.59 ERA), who will make his first career start on Thursday.

Agnos is getting nod after scheduled starter Sugano was pushed back to Friday. Agnos was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday after outfielder Jordan Beck (hamstring) was placed on 10-day injured list.

Agnos has made 43 career appearances with the Rockies, including 13 this season.

He allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 9-1 loss against the Diamondbacks on Friday. He has a 3.38 ERA without a decision in two career relief appearances versus Arizona.

Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (4-1, 2.53) will get the start on Thursday.

Rodriguez took the loss on Saturday despite holding the Rockies to three runs in 5 1/3 innings. The loss came in the wake of two outstanding efforts in which he limited the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets to a total of one run and six hits over 15 1/3 innings.

Rodriguez has gone 3-1 with a 4.95 ERA in seven career starts against the Rockies.

--Field Level Media