ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs’ 26 wins are third most in the NL, behind the Dodgers (29) and Braves (28).
♦ The D-backs are second in the NL West (23 days in/tied for first place from April 2-30).
♦ A win today would give the D-backs their third straight series win…entered this series having won 5 of their last 7 series.
♦ Merrill Kelly, in 4 road starts (3 quality), is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA (3 ER in 22.2 IP), .217 opponent average (18-for-83), 6 walks and 21 strikeouts.
♦ Gabriel Moreno has reached base safely in 11 of his last 12 games, is hitting .357 (15-for-52)/.413 OBP with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 4 walks.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo, in his last 10 road games, is hitting .406 (13-for-32)/1.207 OPS with 2 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI, 3 walks.
KETEL BEING KETEL
♦ Ketel Marte’s 20-game on-base streak is the fourth-longest active streak in the Majors and is tied for the second-longest streak of his career (also: June 4-27, 2019), 2 games shy of his career-best streak (22, Aug 2-29, 2019).
- During the streak, is batting .297 (22-for-74)/.389 OBP with 1 double, 1 triple, 4 homers, 12 RBI, 11 walks and 2 hit by pitches.
♦ Has reached base in 13 straight road games , hitting .388 (19-for-49)/1.183 OPS with 1 triple, 5 homers, 10 RBI and 6 walks.
OH, LOURDES!
♦ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. set a career record with his 13-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .392 (20-for51)/1.326 OPS with 5 doubles (1 walk-off ), 6 homers, 12 RBI and 8 walk
- His streak is the longest by a D-back this season and is tied for the Majors’ second-longest active streak.
♦ In his last 12 road games, is hitting .311 (14-for-45)/.959 OPS with 2 doubles, 3 homers, 7 RBI and 6 walks.
DAYGAMES
♦ Lourdes Gurriel Jr., in 14 day games, is hitting .308 (9-for-22)/1.016 OPS with 6 doubles, 4 homers, 12 RBI and 5 walks.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo, in 14 day games, is hitting .325 (13-for-40)/.851 OPS with 4 doubles, 7 RBI and 6 walks.
♦ Corbin Carroll, in 15 day games, is hitting .302 (16-for53)/.949 OPS with 5 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI and 6 walks.
GETTING ON BASE AND DRAWING FREE PASSES
♦ Since April 24, the D-backs’ .349 OBP is second in the Majors behind the Red Sox (.354) and ahead of the Rangers (.340), Rays (.337) and Braves (.333).
♦ Since April 24, the D-backs’ 96 walks (23 games) are fourth in the Majors behind the Padres (99 BB in 22 G), Twins (99 BB in 24 G) and Dodgers (98 BB, 24 G).
D-FENSE! D-FENSE!
♦ The D-backs’ .990 fielding pct. is tied for fourth in the Majors with the Mariners behind the Padres (.993), Rays (.991) and Mets (.991).
♦ Josh Rojas’ 5 Outs Above Average (OAA) are tied for fifth most in the Majors (7 others).
♦ Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo lead the team with 3 defensive runs saved (min. 100.0 IP) ahead of Christian Walker (2), Ketel Marte (2), Josh Rojas (2), Jake McCarthy (2) and Dominic Fletcher (2).
YOUNG ‘BACKS
♦ The D-backs’ 28.0 roster age is tied for fifth-youngest in the Majors with the Nationals, Angels, Mariners and Reds behind the Guardians (26.4), A’s (27.6), Orioles (27.7) and Rays (27.8).
ON DECK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
♦ The D-backs split the season series 3-3 in 2022 and over the last 5 seasons since 2017 (did not face Phillies in 2020) are 21-11.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP MERRILL KELLY ♦ #29
AT A GLANCE: In his fi fth season with the D-backs.
- Played 4 seasons (2015-18) with the SK Wyverns/KBO.
- Grew up in Scottsdale, Ariz., and attended Desert Mountain High School, Yavapai College and Arizona State.
- Pitched for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: In his last 4 starts, is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA (7 ER in 26.0 IP), .191 opponent average (18-for-94), 4 walks and 30 strikeouts.
- In 4 road starts (3 quality), is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA (3 ER in 22.2 IP), .217 opponent average (18-for-83), 6 walks and 21 strikeouts.
- Is 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA (22 ER in 70.1 IP) in his last 12 day starts (6 quality).
LAST START: Won @ A’s…allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 7.0 IP, struckout nine and walked one.
VS. PIRATES: In 3 career starts vs. Pirates, is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA (7 ER in 17.0 IP)…in 2 road starts @ PNC Park, is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA (4 ER in 12.0 IP).
VS. NL CENTRAL: Is 11-5 with a 3.48 ERA (53 ER in 137.0 IP) in 23 career starts.
NL RANKINGS: Ranks among NL starters in average (3rd, .197), wins (T-8th, 4), strikeouts (T-9th, 55) and WHIP (10th, 1.09).
ROAD WARRIOR: Since the start of 2022, his 11 road wins are second among NL starters behind Julio Urias/LAD (12) and ahead of Yu Darvish/SD (10).
- Has 12 quality starts in his last 20 road starts.
VS. LEFTIES: Limiting lefties to a .185 average (17-for-92) with 25 strikeouts.
CHANGING IT UP: Opponents are hitting .100 (5-for-50) with 19 strikeouts and a whiff rate of 34.5 pct. off his changeup
PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES: Lost when leading after six innings yesterday for just the second time this season…Have won three of their last five games after losing four straight from 5/9-13…Won seven straight games from 4/17-23, their longest winning streak since 2018 (11 games)…Are tied for first place in the National League Central… Are also tied with Milwuakee for the fourth-best record in the National League.
KEEPING UP WITH CUTCH’S MILESTONES: Andrew McCutchen comes into today just one hit shy of 1500 in his career as a member of the Pirates (he will become the 12th player in club history to reach that milestone)… McCutchen ranks 12th on the team’s all-time hits list coming into today…Roberto Clemente leads the way with 3000 hits while Tommy Leach is 11th (1603)… McCutchen is also 16 hits shy of 2000 and three doubles shy of 400 for his career.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: Andrew McCutchen has gone 12-for-31 (.387) while batting in the first inning this season, including 6-for-17 in four games out of the leadoff spot…McCutchen has singled in the first inning in each of his last three games, including out of the leadoff spot in each of the last two contests.
ABOUT TODAY’S STARTER: Roansy Contreras gets the start this afternoon in the finale of this three-game series against the Diamondbacks…Contreras worked a career-high tying 7.0 innings while losing a 2-0 decision to Baltimore’s Tyler Wells last Saturday at Camden Yards.
ON DECK: Following today’s series finale against the Diamondbacks, the Pirates will welcome the Texas Rangers to town for three games…This will be the first series between Texas and Pittsburgh since a two-game set at PNC Park from May 7-8, 2019…The Pirates have hosted the Rangers for just three series (eight games) since interleague play began in 1997.
LET’S HEAR IT FOR HAYES: Ke’Bryan Hayes’ three-run triple yesterday afternoon gave him back-to-back three-RBI games for the first time in his career…Hayes has hit safely in four of his last five games, going 6-for-22 with a pair of doubles, triple and seven RBI.
TRIP, TRIP, TRIPLES: The Pirates are tied for the second-most triples (10) in all of MLB (the Royals lead the way with eleven)…Since the beginning of last season, Pittsburgh’s 39 triples are tied for the fourth-most in MLB…The Royals lead in MLB in that time with forty nine.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON: Pittsburgh has gone 7-4 against teams from the National League West this season…The Pirates swept a three-game series in Colorado last month, took two of three games against Los Angeles here at PNC Park from April 25-27 and lost two of three to Colorado from May 8-10….Following today’s game, the Pirates and Diamondbacks won’t meet again until the final series before the All-Star break from July 7-9.
THE RENEGADE: David Bednar worked a scoreless ninth inning on Saturday while lowering his ERA to 0.53, which is the lowest among National League relievers and ranks second in MLB behind Baltimore’s Yennier Cano (0.38)…Bednar also ranks third among all relievers in MLB in walks per 9.0 innings (0.53) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (22.00).
PLAYING THE FIELD: Pittsburgh’s third basemen rank first in all of MLB with a total of seven Defensive Runs Saved according to the Fielding Bible…The club’s first basemen also rank first in all of MLB with five Defensive Runs Saved according to the Fielding Bible…Individually, Ke’Bryan Hayes’ eight Defensive Runs Saved are the most among third basemen while Carlos Santana ranks first among first basemen with four Defensive Runs Saved per the Fielding Bible.
CALL TO THE PEN: Pittsburgh’s bullpen comes into today ranked sixth in all of MLB with a 3.65 ERA…The only five teams with a lower ERA out of the bullpen are the Astros (3.26), Rays (3.32), Twins (3.40), Braves (3.52) and Mariners (3.60)… Since May 13, Pittsburgh’s relievers have compiled a 2.12 ERA (17.0ip/4er).
STRANDED: Pittsburgh’s bullpen has allowed just nine of its 43 inherited runners to score (20.9%), which ranks first in all of MLB…The only other team in MLB to allow just nine inherited runners to score are the Astros.
ON THE MEND: Right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez scattered four hits over 4.2 scoreless innings in his first rehab start in game one of Indianapolis’ doubleheader Saturday vs. Iowa…He threw a total of 63 pitches (42 strikes) in the game… Velasquez has been on the 15-day injured list since May 5 with right elbow inflammation.
STARTING PITCHER – 59 – RHP ROANSY CONTRERAS
ROANSY CONTRERAS: The 23-year-old righthander is making his ninth start of the season today…He lost a 2-0 decision against Baltimore’s Tyler Wells in his last start on 5/13 at Camden Yards.
vs. ARIZONA: 0-0 in one career start…He allowed one unearned run in 5.2 innings while also striking out eight batters in a no-decision on 6/4/22 at PNC Park…The Pirates walked it off in the ninth when Jack Suwinski hit a two-run home run off Mark Melancon.
