Game 16: Pirates @ Diamondbacks 04.22.16
By Kipper
@pghsportsforum
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Pittsburgh
Pirates
8-8
9:40 PM ET
Line: ARI -126
Arizona
Diamondbacks
9-8
PIT: Niese (2-0 , 3.50 ERA) ARI: Corbin (1-1 , 2.75 ERA)
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9:47 AM ET
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Now that the Arizona Diamondbacks enjoyed a successful first road trip, it's time for them to prove themselves at home.
They start a 10-game stretch at Chase Field on Friday night when they send Patrick Corbin to the mound for the opener of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Arizona (9-8) began with a 2-5 homestand and dropped two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers to start its first trip. The Diamondbacks got untracked by taking a series last weekend in San Diego before sweeping four games from San Francisco after Thursday's 6-2 victory.
Jake Lamb was 7 for 15 with a homer, a triple and four doubles in the series versus the Giants, Chris Owings was 6 for 14 and Paul Goldschmidt went 5 for 15.
The Diamondbacks allowed three runs in the last three games.
"It's not easy to sweep anybody four games at the major league level, especially a team like that in this ballpark. I'm very proud of our guys," manager Chip Hale said. "Guys kind of bonded."
Shortstop Jean Segura had two three-hit efforts in the series for Arizona while Yasmany Tomas is 11 for 29 in a seven-game hit streak.
"We came here with a good attitude and grinding every at-bat, grinding every inning, it's huge for us," Segura said.
Corbin (1-1, 2.75 ERA) will become the second left-handed starter to face Pittsburgh (8-8) after he allowed three runs -- one earned -- over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts to earn Sunday's 7-3 victory over the Padres that started the Diamondbacks' five-game win streak. He threw over 100 pitches for the first time in 19 starts since reconstructive elbow surgery that forced him to miss the 2014 season.
"I felt strong," he said. "Everything's really great. My arm's feeling good."
Corbin's only start against the Pirates came as rookie in 2012, and no Pittsburgh hitter has more than three at-bats versus him.
The Pirates went 5-1 against the Diamondbacks last season, but 11 of their 27 RBI were by hitters no longer on the club -- Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker.
Pittsburgh's John Jaso is batting .429 during a career-high 11-game hitting streak, although there's no guarantee the lefty-swinging first baseman will be in the lineup versus Corbin.
The Pirates avoided a three-game sweep with Thursday's 11-1 rout at San Diego. Gerrit Cole went six innings for his first win and Josh Harrison had a pair of RBI singles as part of an 11-hit attack.
"Between him and Cole, they carried the load for us tonight," manager Clint Hurdle said.
Hurdle will hope his team improves to 4-0 in starts by Jonathon Niese (2-0, 3.50) on Friday after the newcomer pitched seven innings of three-hit ball in last Saturday's 5-0 victory over Milwaukee.
The left-hander is 3-3 with a 5.93 ERA in seven starts against the Diamondbacks, including 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA in four on the road.
Welington Castillo is 3 for 13 off Niese and the catcher is expected back in the lineup after he had Thursday off."