• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Haren, Diamondbacks take on Pirates in opener

Aug 4, 2008 - 1:43 PM Pittsburgh (51-60) at Arizona (57-53), 9:40 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Dan Haren, who has helped keep the Arizona Diamondbacks afloat in the pedestrian National League West Division, will take the mound Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Haren (11-5, 2.62 ERA) hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his previous 11 starts and has one loss since June 12.

The 27-year-old Haren has been recognized as the second entity of the dynamic pitching duo which also includes former Cy Young award-winner Brandon Webb.

On June 7, Haren tossed seven innings and held the Pirates to three runs while getting a no-decision in the 4-3 victory.

Arizona is coming off two straight losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers after winning the first two games of the four-game set. Despite the shortcomings, the Diamondbacks still have a one-game lead in the division entering play Monday.

The Pirates also dropped two of three in their series with the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. They are a half-game above the last-place Cincinnati Reds (51-61) in the NL Central and appear to have turned their attention to next season.

By trading away Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte before Thursday's non-waiver trade deadline, Pittsburgh acquired a plethora of prospects and young major league-ready players from the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Rookie Yoslan Herrera (1-1, 9.00) will take the mound with hopes of continuing his recent success after starting his season on a sour note. Though the 27-year-old surrendered 13 runs in his first two starts, he is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in his last two outings.

Brandon Moss, acquired as a part of a three-team deal that included Bay and Manny Ramirez, connected for a solo home run in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Cubs.