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Davis aims to keep Diamondbacks streaking vs. Pirates

Aug 9, 2007 - 3:03 PM Pittsburgh (45-65) at Arizona (64-51) 9:40 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks are red-hot and attempting to pull away in the National League West.

Doug Davis takes aim at his fourth straight win as Arizona looks to take the rubber game of a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

The Diamondbacks captured their sixth win in eight games and 14th in their last 17 with a 10-6 victory in Wednesday's middle game. Chris Snyder hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs.

The extended tear has enabled Arizona (64-51) to open up a two-game lead over the San Diego Padres (61-52) in the National League West. With another win, the Diamondbacks will move 14 games over .500 for the first time since they won the NL West at 98-64 in 2002.

Davis (8-10, 3.88 ERA) will try and keep the momentum going. The lefthander was outstanding in his last start, allowing just three hits in eight strong innings of a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. The lefthander has allowed three runs or less in seven of his last eight starts.

Davis will be opposed by Ian Snell (7-10, 3.91), who has fallen mightily since the All-Star break. The righthander has lost his last five starts, absorbing an 8.31 ERA over that span. On Friday, Snell was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in five innings in a 13-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

While Arizona is a National League-best 17-8 since the All-Star break, Pittsburgh is headed in the opposite direction, having lost 17 of 22 in that span.