The Arizona Diamondbacks are looking to start the second half of their season strong by getting some easy wins against the Chicago Cubs on the road at Wrigley Field. However, that isn't always possible for the Diamondbacks. They have shown their propensity for losing to subpar teams after getting swept by the lowly Padres just last week.
The last time the D-backs took on the Cubbies, though, things went pretty well for them. They swept the Cubs right out of Chase Field and saw some very good offensive production along the way.
All of the games against the Cubs will be played in the day time, with starts coming as early as 10:05 AM Arizona time. This may be a good thing for the Diamondbacks, as they hold a 16-9 record for day games played.
Joe Saunders will take the mound as the starting pitcher on day two for the Diamondbacks. He is coming off the DL with a shoulder injury after much speculation that he was placed on the list due to trade talks.
Both teams will be facing off against the other club's best pitching staff, so this should be an interesting series to watch.
Pitching Probables:
Friday, July 13, 2:20 PM ET: Ian Kennedy (6-7, 4.26) vs. Paul Maholm (6-6, 4.57)
Saturday, July 14, 1:05 PM ET: Joe Saunders (4-5, 3.44) vs. Ryan Dempster (4-3, 1.99)
Sunday, July 15 2:20 PM ET: Trevor Cahill (7-7, 3.64) vs. Matt Garza (4-7, 4.32)
For more on the D-backs, head to AZ Snake Pit.