MLB Game Preview - Arizona at Cincinnati

Sat Sep 7, 2019 4:10 PM EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks are four games -- and four victories -- into what on paper is the most favorable remaining schedule among National League wild-card contenders. But they do not see it that way.

"I think it is a dangerous proposition to look that far in advance and say that it is going to be a light schedule," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said on the recent homestand.

"I want to look right in front of what is happening today and crush it. Do everything we can to kill it, and then move on to the next challenge. I like the idea it looks light, but we have to do it the right way."

The Diamondbacks have won 10 of 11 after using another Ketel Marte homer to overcome a blister that forced starter Robbie Ray out of a 7-5 victory over the Reds at Cincinnati in the first game of a three-game series.

Diamondbacks left-hander Alex Young (6-3, 3.84 ERA) is scheduled to face Cincinnati right-hander Luis Castillo (14-5, 3.25 ERA) in the second game of the series Saturday afternoon.

Arizona (74-67) has 21 games remaining, only seven against teams with winning records. The Diamondbacks finish the current seven-game road trip with four games at the New York Mets before returning home for three-game series with the Reds and Miami Marlins.

The St. Louis Cardinals visit Arizona in the final week of the regular season, the only team with a winning record other than the Mets that the Diamondbacks will face. The Diamondbacks play 12 of their final 15 at home.

In the midst of a career year, Marte is hitting .392 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs since June 15. He has three straight three-hit games and is 11-for-19 with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last four games. He leads the NL in hits (176) and multiple-hit games (56).

"When I got 20, I was thinking I can get 30," said Marte, who had 14 homers last season. "I come to the ballpark and work hard every day. I do my routine and feel strong."

Eugenio Suarez kept the Reds in the first game of the series with two hits, including his 42nd homer and four RBIs. It was his second homer in as many games and his seventh in the last 11. He has a major league-high 22 since the All-Star break.

Suarez suffered a bone bruise when he was hit by a pitch on his left hand Sunday and missed two games before returning to the lineup and homering Thursday.

"It didn't hurt him getting a couple days off," manager David Bell told the team's website.

For the D-backs, rookie Young is 2-0 in his last three starts but has gone six innings in only two of his last six. He has gone 4-1 on the road as he enters his first career start against the Reds.

Castillo has won his last three starts and five of his last six decisions, although he will enter with a season-high 3.25 ERA after giving up three runs in six innings in a 5-3 victory at St. Louis on Sunday.

The Diamondbacks had a tentative deal in place to obtain Castillo in 2016, when he was in the Miami organization, but the front office nixed it. The Reds acquired him in a trade for Dan Straily before the 2017 season.

--Field Level Media