Orioles and Diamondbacks lineups (Mountcastle scratched)

The Orioles are in Arizona tonight to begin another three-city road trip, and their final excursion to the West Coast. They also travel to Anaheim and Boston.

The day began with the Orioles holding a 1 ½ game lead over the Rays, winners of four in a row. Tampa Bay is in Cleveland tonight.

The Orioles' 83-50 record through 133 games is their best mark since going 85-48 in 1997. They are the seventh team in major league history with back-to-back winning records following a 100-loss season, per STATS. The 1986-87 Giants were the most recent.

Outfielder Colton Cowser and reliever Joey Krehbiel were added to the expanded roster, as reported yesterday. Cowser isn’t in tonight’s lineup.

Anthony Santander is in right field and Austin Hays is in left. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Gunnar Henderson is starting at shortstop, with Jordan Westburg playing third base.

Santander will try to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He’d join Ryan Mountcastle (12), Henderson (11) and James McCann (10) as Orioles this season with double-digit hitting streaks.

Santander is on fire. Among his 15 hits during the streak are three doubles and five home runs. He also has 14 RBIs.

Henderson is just the third Orioles rookie with at least 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and five triples in a season, joining Cal Ripken Jr. in 1982 and Ron Hansen in 1960.

Henderson (77), Arizona’s Corbin Carroll (96) and Oakland’s Ryan Noda (48) are the only rookies in the majors who lead their teams in runs scored. Ripken is the last Orioles rookie to rank first with 90, per STATS.

Left-hander Cole Irvin has allowed five runs in three starts over 16 innings since the Orioles went to a six-man rotation. He’s never faced the Diamondbacks.

Irvin has posted a 2.05 ERA and .203 average against in the first two innings in his starts this season, and a 6.53 ERA and .290 average against after the second.

The Orioles lost two of three games in Arizona in 2019. They are 3-9 all-time at Chase Field, getting swept in a three-game series in 2013.

The Diamondbacks are 69-65 and in third place in the National League West. They’re one game back for the final wild card spot.

The season has been a tale of two distinctively different halves. They were 52-39 entering the All-Star break and tied with the Dodgers for the division lead. Their 17-26 record since the break is seventh worst in the majors and they trail Lost Angeles by 14 1/5 games.

Arizona has a minus-21 run differential. The 4.63 team ERA ranks 22^nd in the majors, and the 4.69 bullpen ERA is 25^th.

By comparison, and this could be a big factor, the Orioles rank sixth in bullpen ERA at 3.56.

Orioles catchers will be tested. Arizona’s 86.5 percent success rate in stolen base attempts is second all-time behind the 2007 Phillies (87.9) in a minimum 150 tries, per STATS.

Former Orioles pitcher Zach Davies is 1-5 with a 6.93 ERA and 1.604 WHIP in 13 starts, and he’s averaging 4.2 walks per nine innings. He hasn’t won at home in his last 16 starts going back to May 2022, the longest streak in club history.

Davies was activated from the injured list last weekend and held the Reds to one run in five innings. He’s suffered an oblique strain and lower-back strain this season, making two trips to the IL.

Davies has never faced the Orioles, who traded him to the Brewers on July 31, 2015, for outfielder Gerardo Parra. Adam Frazier, the second baseman tonight, is 10-for-29 with three doubles and a triple against him.

Right-handers Slade Cecconi (0-0, 2.57 ERA) and Zac Gallen (14-6, 3.32 ERA) are starting the other two games of the series.

The Diamondbacks’ roster also includes former Orioles reliever Miguel Castro, first baseman Christian Walker and infielder Jace Peterson. Castro leads the National League in appearances with 63 but has registered a 5.20 ERA in 53 2/3 innings.

Carroll is the favorite to be named National League Rookie of the Year. The former first-round draft pick is batting .279/.361/.519 with 25 doubles, eight triples, 23 home runs, 65 RBIs and 41 stolen bases in 46 attempts.

Carroll is the fourth rookie in major league history with 20-plus homers and 40-plus stolen bases in a season.

For the Orioles
Adley Rutschman C
Gunnar Henderson SS
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Austin Hays LF
Cedric Mullins CF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Adam Frazier 2B

Cole Irvin LHP

For the Diamondbacks
Ketel Marte 2B
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. LF
Tommy Pham DH
Christian Walker 1B
Evan Longoria 3B
Corbin Carroll RF
Gabriel Moreno C
Nick Ahmed SS
Alek Thomas CF

Zach Davies RHP

Updated: The Orioles announced that Mountcastle was scratched due to illness.

Adley Rutschman C
Gunnar Henderson SS
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan O'Hearn 1B
Austin Hays LF
Cedric Mullins CF
Jordan Westburg DH
Adam Frazier 2B
Ramón Urías 3B

Cole Irvin LHP