Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cleveland Indians Pick & Prediction AUGUST 7th 2024

Preview and Prediction

After a competitive start, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians will have to wait to finish their already exciting series.

Due to rain, the middle game of the series was cancelled on Tuesday, leaving the Diamondbacks to continue their winning streak in a traditional doubleheader against the Guardians on Wednesday.

With a 7-6 victory in 10 innings on Monday, Arizona has now won 10 of their last 12 games and has a record of 22-9 since June 29, putting them in a wild-card position in the NL. Joc Pederson hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning after Ketel Marte and Gabriel Moreno opened the game with back-to-back homers.

Arizona's Justin Martinez secured the win against the Guardians, who have lost three straight games and allowed 23 runs.

"It's exciting, they're a great team. They're competing, we're competing," Pederson, who has been on a hot streak with 9 hits, 5 homers, and 12 RBIs in his last 9 games, told the Diamondbacks broadcast.

Unfortunately for Arizona, their Gold Glove-winning catcher Moreno was placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after straining his adductor in the previous game.

The Diamondbacks have a record of 6-1 in the last seven games started by Brandon Pfaadt (5-6, 3.97 ERA), who is scheduled to start Game 1 of the doubleheader. In his last two outings, Pfaadt has given up a total of 8 runs in 11 innings.

Pfaadt had a no-decision in his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, where he allowed 3 runs in 5 innings.

In Game 2, Arizona's left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will make his season debut. Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Diamondbacks in December but has been out of play since straining his pitching shoulder during spring training.

"I'm eager to get out there and show what I can do. I want to help the team," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has a record of 6-0 with a 2.28 ERA in 8 career starts against the Guardians. He had a stellar performance against them last year, allowing only 3 runs (2 earned) and striking out 29 in 28 2/3 innings in 4 starts.

Cleveland's All-Stars Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan struggled against Rodriguez last year, with a combined 2 hits in 21 at-bats. However, Ramirez had a strong game on Monday with 3 hits and an RBI, and he has been on a hot streak with a .424 batting average, 5 homers, and 12 RBIs in his last 9 games.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Guardians will start Ben Lively (10-6, 3.42 ERA), who is having a career season. In his last 4 starts, Lively has an impressive 2.78 ERA.

Lively had a strong outing in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, giving up only 2 runs in 6 innings in a 10-3 victory.

"He continues to give us a chance to win," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.

Lively has faced the Diamondbacks twice in his career, both times while he was with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. He gave up 6 runs and 10 hits in 10 1/3 innings in those two starts, leaving him with a record of 0-2 and a 7.50 ERA against Arizona.

In Game 2, the Guardians will have Carlos Carrasco (3-9, 5.53 ERA) on the mound. In his last start against the Orioles on Friday, Carrasco gave up only 1 hit and 1 run in 4 1/3 innings, despite walking 4 batters.

Carrasco has had strong performances against the Diamondbacks in his last two outings against them in 2022 and 2023 while he was with the New York Mets. He has a record of 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in 4 games (3 starts) against Arizona in his career.

Marte has been on fire for the Diamondbacks, with a .385 batting average, 11 homers, and 27 RBIs in his last

PREDICTION

Arizona Diamondbacks

4

3

Cleveland Indians

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cleveland Indians Recap AUG 7TH 2024