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Diamondbacks-Giants preview

SAN FRANCISCO -- No team played a bigger role in Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller getting demoted to the minors this season than the San Francisco Giants.

So it's fitting then that Miller, in his return to the majors Wednesday, gets to put his new form on display against the Giants.

Miller will be promoted from the minors to start the series finale between the Diamondbacks and Giants, Arizona manager Chip Hale announced before Tuesday's 4-3 win in the series opener.

Miller earned the second chance by responding well to his July 14 demotion. He went 5-1 with a 3.91 ERA with the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate in Reno.

After being acquired over the winter from the Atlanta Braves, Miller lasted only 14 starts before losing his job.

Three of those 14 were against the Giants. None went well.

Miller walked five in just two innings on April 21, but was pulled early enough to enable the Diamondbacks to rally for a 6-2 win.

There were no such comebacks the next two times, when he allowed eight runs in 11 2/3 innings, suffering losses in 3-1 and 6-4 defeats.

It was quite a reversal of form for Miller, who entered the season 2-1 against the Giants with a 1.71 ERA.

This season, it's 0-2 with a 6.59.

Miller was 2-9 with a 7.14 ERA at the time of his demotion. His ERA remains the highest in baseball for guys with 14 or more starts.

"We're definitely excited," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale gushed after Tuesday's win. "He's been throwing the ball well. He's excited to be back, and we're excited to have him back."

No doubt, the Giants will be excited to see anybody but Zack Greinke, who remained unbeaten (4-0) at AT&T Park with six strong innings in Tuesday's win.

Miller will be up against a guy at the other end of the success spectrum from him.

Giants left-hander Matt Moore will be making his first start since nearly no-hitting the rival Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday.

Moore came within one out of a no-hitter in the 4-0 win, throwing a career-high 133 pitches in the process.

The trade-deadline acquisition from Tampa Bay got a standing ovation from Giants fans for just showing up at the first game of their current homestand Friday.

Suffice it to say, he has yet to earn one with his pitching at AT&T Park. He's gone 0-2 at home since joining the Giants, having allowed eight runs in 11 innings (6.55 ERA) against the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets.

He has faced the Diamondbacks only once in his career and took the loss, allowing five runs in seven innings (6.43 ERA).

The Giants were held to three or fewer runs for the fourth time (all losses) in their last eight games in Tuesday's loss, but Giants catcher Buster Posey isn't concerned.

"You just have to play the next game," he noted. "I'm sure you're getting tired of hearing that. But we get tired of hearing those questions, too, sometimes."

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