The Arizona Diamondbacks head to Daikin Park in Houston to take on the Astros on Friday, September 4, with first pitch set for 8:10 PM ET. Merrill Kelly gets the ball for Arizona opposite Cristian Javier in a matchup that carries real weight as the regular season winds toward its final weeks. The D-backs will need a sharp outing from Kelly and production from a lineup that includes Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and a veteran presence in Nolan Arenado to come away with a win against one of the American League's historically tough franchises.

Pitching Matchup: Merrill Kelly vs. Cristian Javier

Merrill Kelly is Arizona's anchor in moments like this. The right-hander has been one of the most dependable starters on the D-backs' staff, and road starts against high-powered offenses are where Kelly's composure tends to separate him from the pack. He'll need to manage a Houston lineup that doesn't give away at-bats.

Cristian Javier lines up on the other side for Houston. When Javier is on, his ability to miss bats makes him a genuine problem for opposing lineups. Arizona's offense will need to grind counts, work walks, and manufacture runs when the ball doesn't leave the yard cleanly.

Arizona Diamondbacks Starting Lineup at Houston

• 1. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
• 2. Corbin Carroll, RF
• 3. Gabriel Moreno, C
• 4. Ketel Marte, 2B
• 5. Lars Nootbaar, DH
• 6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
• 7. Max Kepler, LF
• 8. Tim Tawa, 1B
• 9. Ryan Waldschmidt, CF

Houston Astros Starting Lineup

• 1. Jeremy Peña, SS
• 2. Yordan Alvarez, DH
• 3. Isaac Paredes, 3B
• 4. Jose Altuve, 2B
• 5. Daulton Varsho, CF
• 6. Christian Walker, 1B
• 7. Taylor Trammell, RF
• 8. Yainer Diaz, C
• 9. LaMonte Wade Jr., LF

Keys to Watch for the Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte in the Middle of the Order

Batting cleanup, Marte is Arizona's most dangerous presence when the game is on the line. How he performs against Javier will go a long way toward determining whether the D-backs can generate consistent offense in this one. Marte has the bat speed and plate discipline to do damage regardless of the matchup.

Corbin Carroll's On-Base Ability at the Top

Carroll hitting second puts Arizona in a position to manufacture early-inning pressure. His ability to get on base and create chaos on the basepaths is a core part of how this offense functions. If Carroll is clicking, the Astros' defense has to account for speed before the middle of the order even steps in.

Kelly Limiting the Alvarez-Altuve Core

Yordan Alvarez batting second and Jose Altuve hitting fourth is a reminder of just how much firepower Houston carries. Kelly's ability to neutralize that 2-through-4 stretch — Alvarez, Paredes, Altuve — is the defining pitching challenge of the night. Keep them in the ballpark and Arizona has a real shot.

The Bottom of Arizona's Lineup

Tim Tawa at first base and Ryan Waldschmidt in center are names the Astros will not lose sleep preparing for. But September baseball has a way of asking unexpected contributors to step up. A hit or a walk from the 8-9 spots that extends an inning could be the difference in a close game.

Prediction

This is a tough venue against a tough opponent, and the Astros' lineup demands respect from top to bottom. But Merrill Kelly has earned the benefit of the doubt in spots like this, and Arizona's offense has enough quality in Marte, Carroll, and Moreno to put a challenging number on the board. Call it a 4-3 D-backs win in a grind-it-out road victory that Kelly finishes with six solid innings.

Catch the game on DBACKS.TV or Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.