By Stephen Nover
Diamondbacks minus $1.08 hosting Mets (Early Start)
Losers of 14 of their last 16 games, the Diamondbacks have been a great go-against team. Now, though, the Diamondbacks are worth backing. At least for this game being home to the banged-up Mets and with a tiny gleam of momentum.
Arizona won its most dramatic game of the season Tuesday night coming from four runs down against the Mets. The Diamondbacks tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning and then won it with two runs in the 10th after the Mets had grabbed a 5-4 lead. The Diamondbacks accomplished the comeback against closer Edwin Diaz, who hadn’t blown a save opportunity all year.
It was the 10th time the Mets have lost to the Diamondbacks in Arizona during their past 14 games at Chase Field.
Now the Diamondbacks will try to win their second game in a row for the first time since May 11 in a battle of lefties with David Peterson facing Madison Bumgarner.
Peterson is 1-4 with a 4.91 ERA. The Diamondbacks faced Peterson on May 7 getting to him for three runs on three hits in just 1 2/3 innings before he was pulled. Arizona is fifth in the National League in slugging percentage versus southpaws.
Bumgarner had turned his season around with a 1.32 ERA in six starts previous to his past two outings, one of which came against the Rockies in Coors Field. I believe Bumgarner will come through with a big performance here. He’s 6-0 lifetime against the Mets with a 1.86 ERA in nine starts spanning 63 innings.
The Mets are batting just .226 against lefties and rank 12th in the NL in slugging percentage versus southpaws.
(I have my MLB Game of the Year going today in addition to this free selection along with two NHL plays. I am 7-2 on my last nine premium/free baseball side plays. If you are interested in my sports service, please email me at scriber26@gmail.com, or message me via Twitter. All picks come with detailed analysis and are emailed well ahead of the starting time.)