The Diamondbacks wrap up their series with the Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon in this early start which is 10:35 a.m. local time for the Diamondbacks. Arizona turns to Doug Davis who is 3-8 with an awful 4-12 SU team record in his sixteen starts this season. Davis has pitched worse than his 3.48 ERA and 1.476 WHIP on the road indicates as Davis has an awful 28/22 strikeout/walk ratio in his seven starts away from home. The Diamondbacks remain one of the weakest offensive teams on the road this season with a .229 batting average and just 4.2 runs per game. Arizona is likely to struggle again this afternoon against Aaron Harang who is due for a bounce-back after a rare bad outing last Friday when he allowed 10 hits and 7 runs in just 4.7 innings at Cleveland. Harang should respond with a strong showing tonight as he has an excellent 2.87 ERA at home with a 1.191 WHIP this season and a powerful 43/8 strikeout/walk ratio. Harang has also dominated the Diamondbacks during his career with a fantastic 1.66 ERA and 0.939 WHIP in eight career starts versus Arizona. Last year he lost 4-2 and 3-2 giving up just four runs in 13 innings of work versus the D-Backs. Chad Tracy (3-17), Mark Reynolds (1-9), Stephen Drew (2-8), Tony Clark (1-6), and Justin Upton (0-4) have done the worst against Harang.

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The Braves have been a much stronger offensive team versus left handed pitchers this season as they average 6.0 runs per nine innings and bat .277 at home versus LHP, compared to just 3.2 runs and only .248 versus RHP. This was evident last night as the Braves crushed the reigning Cy Young award winner as Cole Hamels allowed 9 hits and 7 runs in just four innings. The Braves won easily 11-1 and they should fare well again tonight against another southpaw as J.A. Happ now takes the mound for the Phillies. Happ is due for a correction after his best start of the season which was as complete game shutout last Saturday in Toronto as Happ has now thrown 100+ pitches in each of his past five starts and this might start to wear down this former relief pitcher. Meanwhile, the Braves send Javier Vazquez to the mound and he remains one of the most underrated pitchers in the league this season and he has pitched much better than his 5-7 W/L and 6-10 SU team records indicate. Vazquez has a solid 3.04 ERA and a 1.059 WHIP with a fantastic 125/23 strikeout/walk ratio, including a 2.95 ERA and a 1.033 WHIP in his nine home starts with a 76/13 K/BB. His strong numbers should continue tonight against a Philadelphia squad that is just 4-13 SU in their past seventeen games.

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