Pitching matchups for Arizona Diamondbacks-Cincinnati Reds series at Great American Ball Park

Diamondbacks at Reds

When: 9:35 a.m., Thursday

Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zach Davies (2-3, 4.18) vs. Reds RHP Tyler Mahle (2-5, 5.43).

TV/Radio: Bally Sports Arizona/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Davies turned in his best start of the year on Saturday in Pittsburgh, giving up just three hits and walking two over 7 2/3 scoreless innings. … It snapped what had been a skid of four starts in which Davies owned a 7.23 ERA. … He has had mixed results against the Reds in his career, logging a 4.41 ERA in 16 starts. 1B Joey Votto has hit him well, going 12 for 32 (.375) with a double, two homers and seven walks in 39 plate appearances. … Mahle had begun to emerge as an effective and dominant starter the past two seasons, but his results have taken a step back through 12 starts this season. He is allowing more hits, issuing more walks, striking out fewer batters and exhibiting slightly diminished stuff across the board. … That said, Mahle has been better in recent outings, logging a 4.24 ERA over his past six starts, a stretch that would be even better were it not for one clunker (eight runs in four-plus innings) against the Cubs on May 24. He has a 3.00 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks. 2B Ketel Marte is 2 for 2 with a home run and a walk off him.

Coming up

Friday: At Philadelphia, 4:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (4-1, 2.40) vs. Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (4-3, 3.14).

Saturday: At Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Madison Bumgarner (2-5, 3.64) vs. Phillies RHP Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.70).

Sunday: At Philadelphia, 10:35 a.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Phillies LHP Ranger Suarez 4-3, 4.42).

Up next

Cincinnati Reds

Reds update: The Reds (18-35) find themselves at the bottom of the National League after a disastrous start. After opening the season 2-2, the Reds lost 11 straight games and 20 of 21, and on May 6 were 3-22. They have turned things around to some extent, but with Sunday's loss to the Washington Nationals have dropped three straight. Joey Votto hit his 442nd career double Sunday to put him in second place in franchise history in that category behind Pete Rose. The Reds are 12th in the National League in team batting average at .230, while the Diamondbacks are last in the league at .216.  A major difference can be found in team ERA, where Arizona is ninth in the league at 4.19 after two strong pitching performances Saturday and Sunday, and Cincinnati is last with a 5.44 ERA. The Reds lead the NL in home runs allowed with 70, hit batsmen with 30 and walks allowed with 215. Former Diamondback Brandon Drury is batting .257 and holds the team lead in hits with 43.

Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM. 

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pitching matchups for Diamondbacks-Reds series