The set-up: The Arizona Diamondbacks have matched the longest winning streak in franchise history (12 straight) in last night's 3-1 victory over the LA Dodgers in 10 innings. The D'backs go for a three-game sweep in the finale of their series at Dodger Stadium and a franchise-record 13th consecutive victory on Wednesday. Los Angeles lost its fifth straight and 10th in 11 games (only win was 1-0 last Friday in Kershaw's return from the DL). The Dodgers owned an insurmountable lead in the NL West before their slump but while the D'backs won't be able to catch LA (still trail by 11 1/2 games), 81-58 Arizona has separated itself in the wild card race, moving 6 1/2 games up on Colorado and putting themselves nine games clear of the NL playoff 'cut line.'

The pitching matchup: Taijuan Walker (8-7 & 3.42 ERA) starts for Arizona and Kenta Maeda (12-6 & 4.19 ERA) for LA. Walker is 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA over his last three starts (D'backs are 3-0) but note he has worked fewer than six innings in two of them. He's been his best on the road in 2017, going 5-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 13 road outings (team is only 7-6 ). Walker is 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA in two starts against Los Angeles this season and 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in three career starts (teams are 2-1). Maeda was pounded for seven runs on eight hits in three innings while losing to the 8-1 Diamondbacks last. That's been his fate vs. Arizona in 2017, as he's 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA while allowing eight HRs over 17 innings of four starts (LA is 1-3) to fall to 3-3 with a 5.19 ERA in 10 career starts against Arizona (team is 5-5).

The pick: The Dodgers are reeling while the D'backs are streaking but I just can't bring myself to say bet on the D'backs to sweep LA here in Dodger Stadium. The again, the Diamondbacks haven't even trailed in their past 98 innings, which is the third-longest such streak all time. Maybe I'm "spitting into the wind" but LA is 9-1 in Maeda's 10 home starts in 2017, so I'll make LA a 10* play.