The Diamondbacks are back at just about full strength (in their lineup, at least) and they ended Memorial Day with some fireworks Monday with a walk-off home run from AJ Pollock. The win gets the Snakes one game closer to that .500 mark, which isn’t “within grasp” yet, but you get the feeling the team thinks it might need to make its move sooner rather than later. Arizona gets back on the diamond Tuesday in game two of the series with San Diego. They will send Wade Miley to the hill to take on fellow southpaw Eric Stults. And the home team is a -125 favorite.
Free Pick
Eric Stults has fallen off the radar since that great season he put together two seasons ago. But the crafty left-hander has still maintained a certain level of effectiveness even beyond his peak. Stults has been extremely hittable this season (3.26 opponents’ batting average). But he’s managed a decent WHIP because of his extremely precise command. Stults has walked just one batter in the last four outings, which means Arizona will have to string together many hits if it wants to score a significant number against Stults. The ‘Zona offense has been improving, but I’m not sure it is quite formidable enough to put up seven, eight, nine hits against Stults in the spacious Chase Field. 
Meanwhile, Wade Miley looks like a pretty sure bet to throw another quality start against the very average-below average Padres offense. Miley has pretty much averaged a quality start over his last four outings – surrendering exactly 12 runs in 26.2 innings pitched. There isn’t anything super special about Miley’s stuff, but he knows how to pitch and he’s taken it upon himself to become the ace of this Arizona staff with Patrick Corbin recovering from Tommy John surgery. And he’s done a great job. Miley won’t overthrow, but he won’t kill his team with any terribly short outings. San Diego is 22nd in the Big’s in team OPS against left-handers and simply lacks the firepower to knock Miley around in this one. If the Arizona lefty can put together another start of six or seven innings, this game should go under. And that’s the play for Tuesday.
Free Pick: Under 9 (-110)
2014 YTD: 18-12 +4.28
arizona diamondbacks • san diego padres