Dbacks vs Cardinals Preview: Pitching Battle on Week 65

The Diamondbacks came out swinging yesterday and crushed the Cardinals 4-3. In the top of the ninth inning, Arizona's hitters woke up big time. Arenado doubled hard to left, and Gurriel Jr. ripped a single to center that drove in runs. Then passed balls kept the rally alive, and suddenly the Diamondbacks had four runs on the board. The Cardinals tried to fight back in the bottom half but fell just short. Arizona's lineup showed they can strike when it counts. Today, they want to keep that hot bat rolling into game two.

The Cardinals are sending Matthew Liberatore to the hill for today's game. He's one of the young arms St. Louis is counting on to step up big this season. The Cardinals built this team around developing talented pitchers like Liberatore, not relying on one superstar. If Liberatore throws strikes and keeps Arizona's hitters off balance, the Cardinals have a shot. The team needs its younger starters to prove they can handle pressure games. Getting a strong performance from Liberatore today would send a huge message that St. Louis's pitching future is real.

The Diamondbacks have some serious injury problems heading into today's game. Jordan Lawlar hurt his hamstring and is sidelined. The rotation is banged up too—Soroka and Nelson are both on the injured list, so Mitch Bratt is getting the start today. Carlos Santana is rehabbing and might not be ready. Despite all these obstacles, Arizona won yesterday and has momentum. They're 40-39 on the season and still in the hunt. Can the Diamondbacks overcome their injury list and stay hot? That's the big question as they face Matthew Liberatore's young Cardinals team today.