Deadspin | Mariners, Diamondbacks out to snap contemporary funks

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners glance to regain their footing once they meet within the opener of a three-game sequence in Phoenix on Monday.

Each group is on a run it want to omit.

Arizona has misplaced 12 of 17, whilst Seattle has dropped 11 of 17.

Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (6-2, 3.43 ERA), who’s 5-1 with a 2.55 ERA in his closing 11 begins, is about to oppose Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock (2-2, 5.19).

The D-backs are house after a 3-3 highway travel marked by way of excessive highs and coffee lows. They swept Atlanta, scoring seven runs in 9th inning to win the sequence finale 11-10, however they scored most effective six runs in a three-game weekend sweep at Cincinnati.

In between, Arizona realized that ace right-hander Corbin Burnes will pass over the remainder of the season following Tommy John surgical treatment.

“We have to find a way to pick ourselves up, get back home and start playing winning baseball and having those winning moments,” supervisor Torey Lovullo mentioned.

“You walk into (Great American Ball Park) and score six runs in three games … it’s not what I was expecting. We can be better.”

Seattle used to be swept at house by way of Baltimore, then misplaced two of 3 in opposition to the host Los Angeles Angels over the weekend. During their contemporary stretch, the Mariners have long past from 3 1/2 video games up within the AL West to 2 1/2 video games at the back of Houston.

The Mariners stopped a season-high five-game shedding streak with a 3-2 victory Sunday, thank you largely to George Kirby’s career-high 14 strikeouts.

“We needed a big one today,” Kirby mentioned. “Hopefully this sets the tone for us as we go to Phoenix. Hope we keep rolling. It’s always good when you go out there and give your team the best chance to win after a couple of losses.”

The sequence options two of the majors’ freshest hitters – Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and Diamondbacks 2nd baseman Ketel Marte.

Raleigh leads the majors with 26 homers and is definitely forward of the tempo to damage Salvador Perez’s report of 48 homers by way of a catcher set in 2021. Only Barry Bonds (two times), Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols and previous Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. reached 25 homers in fewer video games (64) than Raleigh.

Marte has reached base in 21 immediately video games and is hitting .343 with seven of his 12 homers in conjunction with 13 RBIs, 16 runs and 13 walks in his closing 18 video games.

Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno neglected the closing two video games in Cincinnati. He used to be got rid of within the 6th inning Friday when he used to be struck in the fitting hand by way of a wild pitch that bounced within the grime.

The Mariners seemed to dodge a probably severe damage to megastar heart fielder Julio Rodriguez, who used to be got rid of from Saturday’s sport after being struck at the correct ankle by way of a Randy Arozarena liner whilst making an attempt to thieve 3rd. Rodriguez began Sunday.

“It reacted very well with the treatment,” Rodriguez mentioned.

Kelly gave up just one hit, a unmarried by way of Ronald Acuna Jr., in seven scoreless innings in his closing get started, a 2-1 victory at Atlanta. He has confronted the Mariners as soon as in his seven-year profession, giving up 3 runs over 5 innings in a 4-0 house loss in 2023.

Hancock has pitched neatly in his closing 4 begins, going 1-0 with a 2.91 ERA, however he may well be pitching for a place within the rotation as Logan Gilbert nears a go back. He has confronted the Diamondbacks as soon as, a 3-2 house victory closing season when he gave up two hits and one run in six innings.

–Field Level Media