Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres are playing catchup in the National League West division standings. With the first half of the season about to end in just a couple of weeks, the D’backs and the Padres looks to win as many games as they can to remain in contention for the division title, including the final game of their three-game set later today.
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[sc:MLBArticles ]Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres Preview
Where: Petco Park, San Diego
When: Sunday, June 28, 2015, 4:10 PM ET
Line: Arizona Diamondbacks (EVEN) vs. San Diego Padres (-110); total: 7.5– view all MLB lines
Betting on the Arizona Diamondbacks
[sc:MLB240banner ]It’s not easy pitching in Mile High City, and that’s something Chase Anderson can attest. After a disastrous outing at Coors Field last Thursday, Anderson (3-2, 3.54 ERA) looks to get back on track when he takes the hill at Petco Park later today. Arizona is 3-1 in Anderson’s last four starts overall.
Against the Rockies, Anderson got embarrassed good as he gave up eight runs on eight hits (three homers) before walking off the mound in the middle of the fifth inning. The loss spoiled Anderson’s bid to win three consecutive starts. Hopefully for Anderson, Petco Park won’t be as brutal to him as Coors Field, which is the hitter-friendliest park in the majors today. On the flipside, San Diego’s home stadium is just 17th on the list of ESPN’s park factors. Anderson enters today’s matchup against San Diego carrying a 2-1 record and a 3.75 ERA—albeit skewed by the Colorado game—in eight road starts this season.
The onus now is on the Arizona hitters to provide Anderson with enough run support.. That means players like Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock will have to show up later today. Goldschmidt is hitting .278 over his last five games, while Pollock is .286 during the same stretch.
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Betting on the San Diego Padres
Odrisamer Despaigne is still searching for his first win this June, and he’ll try to get one when he makes his last start of the month later today.
Despaigne (3-5, 4.83 ERA) has gone 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in four starts this month. In his previous start, a 3-2 loss against San Francisco, Despaigne allowed two earned runs on five hits with just two strikeouts in five innings of work. It was a much better outing for Despaigne, who was lit up by Oakland in his prior start, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits in the Padres’ 16-2 blowout loss on June 17.
With the Cuban righty looking shaky of late, the Padres will have to coax more runs from their lineup that is averaging 4.16 runs per game thus far this season. Among the Padres to watch out for is Yonder Alonso, who’s been batting third in the order over the last few games. Alonso is hitting .368 in his past five games. Behind Alonso in the order is Justin Upton, who is the team’s leader in batting average (.272), homers (13) and RBIs (44). Upton is 3-for-8 with a homer and two RBIs in his career against the D’backs’ Anderson.
The over is 3-1 in Despaigne’s last four home starts.
Writer’s Prediction
Arizona (EVEN) wins, 3-2.
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