Diamondbacks vs Giants Preview: Pitching Duel Under Week 61 Lights

Arizona just won two straight games and they're rolling into Oracle Park hungry for more. The Diamondbacks are 28-24 on the season—that's solid baseball right there. Their pitching staff is led by Merrill Kelly, a guy who knows how to eat innings and keep his team in games. But here's the problem: Arizona has some serious injuries to deal with. Jordan Lawlar is still healing from a fractured wrist. Carlos Santana hit a setback. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is nursing a hamstring. The Diamondbacks are winning despite losing key players. That's the mark of a team fighting back.

San Francisco has won two in a row at Oracle Park. The Giants are 22-31 overall but they're finding their rhythm at home. Look at the recent matchups: Arizona dominated them 12-2 in one game, but the Giants fought back and took games with big hitting performances. Marte and Waldschmidt have been raking for the Diamondbacks. For the Giants, players like Chapman and Adames have shown they can launch balls out of the park. San Francisco's pitching anchor is Logan Webb, a guy built to compete. This series is heating up.

Merrill Kelly takes the mound for Arizona against Landen Roupp of the Giants. Both pitchers are ready to battle. Kelly anchors a Diamondbacks rotation that has enough talent to keep games close. The Giants counter with Roupp, who gives San Francisco depth in their starting rotation. This matchup matters because both teams need their pitchers to go deep into games. The bullpens can't do all the work. If Kelly and Roupp throw strikes and attack hitters, the game stays tight. That's the kind of chess match baseball fans love to watch unfold.