The Arizona Diamondbacks knew they needed to get off to a strong start in the second half of the season if they hoped to make a run in the National League East. Against one of baseball's worst teams, they're now 0-2 against the Cubs with a total of two runs scored in 18 innings. Arizona will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday.
Joe Saunders returned to the mound for the D-backs and worked six solid innings. He surrendered four runs (three earned) on eight hits and no walks, striking out four in the process. Saunders pitched well enough to win, but Ryan Dempster was simply too good as he tossed six shutout innings.
Starlin Castro drove in the first run of the game in the third inning with a groundout. Darwin Barney came up with a big two-out double to drive home another run, and he was followed by an RBI-single from Luis Valbuena. Barney hit into a double play in the sixth inning to make the score 4-0 in the Cubs' favor.
Chris Young hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to finally put Arizona on the board. The club saw their first two batters reach in the ninth again wild closer Carlos Marmol, but a deep fly out from Geoff Blum and a 3-6-1 double play ended the game on back-to-back pitches.
The D-backs will send Trevor Cahill to the mound on Sunday in the series finale.
For more on the Diamondbacks and their struggles, check out AZ Snake Pit.