D-backs look to maintain hot home form vs. Mets
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks look to keep their home-field success going on Tuesday when they host the New York Mets in the second game of a three-game series.
Arizona is 16-8 at home and 5-1 in its last six games against the scuffling Mets following a 7-3 win on Monday night.
The Diamondbacks scored six runs in the eighth inning, hitting three home runs. It was the first three-homer inning for Arizona since May 17, 2014, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when the trio of blasts also came in the eighth inning.
Arizona (22-18) goes into its second game without table-setting leadoff man A.J. Pollock, who went on the 10-day disabled list on Monday due to a low-grade right groin strain. Pollock's 11 stolen bases and outfield defense will be missed as much as his bat. The Diamondbacks will go with Monday call-up Rey Fuentes and veteran Gregor Blanco in center field for the time being.
Other changes to the lineup could be in store. Manager Torey Lovullo indicated he may ask Pollock not to run so hard all the time so as to avoid further injury, though hustle is part of Pollock's game.
"It's a lot to embrace for me right now," Lovullo said. "I am going to get to some thoughts on that, but I am definitely thinking about shuffling the lineup, and not just one or two spots, it would be something that is completely different then what we've been doing over the past month and a half."
Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games Chase Field, the second-longest streak of his career. Brandon Drury owns a 12-game hitting streak at home that has seen him bat .426 (20-for-47), and he has reached base safely in 34 of his past 35 games at Chase Field.
The Mets (16-21) will try to stop a five-game skid. Until Monday, they were 4-1 in road series openers.
Catcher Rene Rivera has a career high nine-game hitting streak. He is batting .417 (15-for-36) with nine RBI in the nine games.
Of some concern for New York is the recent performance of reliever Hansel Robles, who was rocked for five runs on four hits, two of those home runs, in two-thirds of an inning Monday. Robles, who took his first loss of the season, gave up four runs in an inning in his previous outing, Saturday at Milwaukee.
"We certainly need to take a good hard look at where he is going to fit," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "You ride the waves. That is what baseball is about sometimes. This guy went two whole weeks without giving up a run. Then in his last two times out, he got knocked around. You look at the big picture and the last time out, 'OK, he's going to be better the next time,' and now he's not. We don't have a lot of options."
New York sends right-hander Tommy Milone to the mound for his second start of the season as a Met. Milone (1-0, 5.88 ERA) was claimed off waivers on May 7 from the Brewers, and he allowed two runs on six hits in five innings during a no-decision on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants.
Milone is 23-21 in 65 career road starts. His lone career appearance against Arizona came on June 8, 2012, as a member of the Oakland A's, and got a no-decision after allowing four runs in five innings.
The Diamondbacks counter with ace Zack Greinke, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his last outing, Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Greinke (4-2, 2.79 ERA) is 3-0 with 38 strikeouts over his past four starts.
Greinke is 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA in his career against the Mets. He beat them at Citi Field on Aug. 9, 2016, yielding three runs in six innings in his only start against New York last year.
