Diamondbacks 8 - 4 Mariners
Final
  for this game

Diamondbacks-Mariners Preview

Jul 28, 2015 - 7:03 AM The Arizona Diamondbacks got some key at-bats from players with Seattle ties in capturing the opener of a three-game road series with the Mariners.

Now they are ready to show off a youngster they are counting on for a bright future.

Zack Godley makes his first road start after an impressive debut for the Diamondbacks, who seek a fourth straight win Tuesday night.

There's not much on the line in this series of clubs looking to the future, though Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo both had their own incentive in returns to Seattle in Monday's 4-3, 10-inning victory.

Lamb, a Seattle native who attended the University of Washington, delivered the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 10th in his first game against the team he grew up rooting for.

''I was pretty nervous that first inning, but after that first (at-bat) I took some good pitches, got the walk and that kind of locked me in,'' Lamb said. ''It slowed down and I was able to really enjoy the moment and that was awesome.''

Earlier in the contest, Castillo homered against the club that acquired him from the Chicago Cubs on May 19 before trading him to Arizona (47-51) on June 3 for Mark Trumbo. Trumbo went 3 for 4 against the club he spent all of last season with before being dealt.

Godley became the first pitcher since 1900 to throw at least six scoreless innings with no walks and strike out seven or more in his major league debut Thursday in an 8-3 win over Milwaukee. His seven strikeouts over six innings were the most in a big league debut for the Diamondbacks since Max Scherzer struck out that many in relief April 29, 2008.

"I love the intensity," manager Chip Hale said. "That's one of the things we liked about him. He fit right in and didn't seem to be bothered by anything."

The 25-year-old right-hander was previously at Class A Visalia and Double-A Mobile, going 9-4 with a 2.72 ERA in 17 starts - 15 games.

Robinson Cano continued his surge for Seattle (46-54) as he went 2 for 3 with his 11th home run. The second baseman is batting .406 with three homers and eight RBIs in an eight-game hitting streak.

The Mariners trailed 3-0 after two innings before Mike Zunino's tying, two-out RBI single in the ninth. Zunino entered the contest with baseball's worst average among qualifying players at .179.

"We just couldn't get that one hit to put us over the hump but our guys battled back," manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Zunino will likely be the batterymate for starter Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1, 4.50), who allowed two runs with a season-high seven strikeouts in seven innings in Thursday's 3-2, 12-inning victory at Detroit. Iwakuma is 2-0 with a 3.16 ERA in four starts since being activated off the disabled list July 6.

The right-hander has made two relief appearances against the Diamondbacks. He is 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA in seven interleague starts, posting a 5.66 ERA at home compared to 1.33 on the road.

Arizona may want to start Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was activated Monday and is 4 for 5 against Iwakuma.

NL batting leader Paul Goldschmidt homered to extend his hitting streak to nine games with a .440 average and .615 on-base percentage. He drew three walks to bring his major league-high total to 82.






Related News