The Arizona Diamondbacks head to PNC Park on Wednesday, July 29, for a 12:35 PM ET first pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez drawing the start opposite Pittsburgh's Jared Jones. It is a midseason road game with real stakes — every series at this point in the calendar shapes a team's trajectory, and Arizona will need a sharp performance from Rodriguez to come away with a win in a ballpark that plays no favorites.

Pitching Matchup: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Jared Jones

Rodriguez takes the ball for Arizona in what figures to be the central storyline of this game. The veteran left-hander has the experience and pitch mix to work through a Pirates lineup that carries real offensive threats. Jones, for Pittsburgh's part, is a young arm who can overpower hitters with his fastball and has shown the ability to keep opposing offenses off balance. Neither team is handing this one away from the mound, which makes early offensive production all the more critical for the D-backs.

Arizona Diamondbacks Starting Lineup at Pittsburgh

• Corbin Carroll — RF
• Geraldo Perdomo — SS
• Gabriel Moreno — C
• Ketel Marte — DH
• Max Kepler — LF
• Nolan Arenado — 3B
• Tim Tawa — 1B
• Ildemaro Vargas — 2B
• Jorge Barrosa — CF

Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup

• Nick Gonzales — 3B
• Brandon Lowe — 2B
• Bryan Reynolds — LF
• Esmerlyn Valdez — RF
• Ryan O'Hearn — 1B
• Marcell Ozuna — DH
• Jared Triolo — SS
• Jhostynxon Garcia — CF
• Henry Davis — C

Keys to Watch for the Diamondbacks

• Corbin Carroll at the top: Carroll leading off means Arizona's offense lives and dies by his ability to get on base and create early havoc. If he is active on the bases, the lineup flows.
• Ketel Marte in the cleanup spot: Marte batting fourth as the designated hitter puts the pressure — and opportunity — squarely on one of Arizona's most consistent bats. His at-bats against Jones will be worth watching closely.
• Nolan Arenado's presence: Dropping Arenado into the six hole gives the D-backs length in the lineup and a dangerous option even in the back half of the order. Pittsburgh's bullpen will not be able to exhale simply because the lineup turns over.
• Rodriguez's command early: Bryan Reynolds and Marcell Ozuna give Pittsburgh legitimate middle-of-the-order pop. Rodriguez will need to establish his off-speed pitches early and avoid falling behind in counts against those two hitters.
• PNC Park dimensions: The ballpark rewards gap hitters and can suppress some power numbers. Arizona's lineup, built with contact and speed at the top, is reasonably well suited to the environment.

Prediction

This is a winnable road game for Arizona, but it requires Rodriguez to give them length and the lineup to make Jones work deep into counts. The D-backs have enough lineup construction — Carroll, Marte, and Arenado all capable of driving in runs from different spots — to put together a multi-run effort. Rodriguez's ability to limit Reynolds and Ozuna will be the deciding factor. Arizona 4, Pittsburgh 2.

Wednesday's game can be heard on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and La Campesina 101.9 FM and 860 AM, and streamed on DBACKS.TV. First pitch from PNC Park is set for 12:35 PM ET.