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(Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks try to hold on to the top spot in the NL West this evening, as they begin a key three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field.

Arizona enters this series with a slim one-game lead over the Dodgers, but at 47-48 has the worst record of any of the division leaders.

The Diamondbacks looked as if they were going to run away with the division in the early going, posting a 20-8 mark out of the gate thanks to some tremendous starting pitching. However, the bats fell silent after that and Arizona stumbled into the All-Star break, losing 40 of its final 67 games.

With the hopes of jump starting the stagnant offense, Arizona acquired first baseman Tony Clark from the San Diego Padres on Thursday. Clark, who will likely be used primarily off the bench, spent the 2005 through 2007 seasons with Arizona before signing a one-year contract with San Diego prior to the 2008 campaign.

In 88 at-bats this year, the 36-year-old has hit .239 with one home run and 11 RBI in mostly pinch-hit situations, a season after compiling 17 home runs and 51 RBI for the D'Backs.

Heading to the hill tonight for the D'Backs will be righty Doug Davis, who is 3-4 with a 3.80 ERA. Davis has just one win in his last nine starts and received a no-decision last Friday against Philadelphia. He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings of that one, a 6-5 loss by Arizona.

Davis defeated the Dodgers in his final start before surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid on April 8 and is 4-2 lifetime against them with a 1.33 ERA in six starts.

Los Angeles will counter with Japanese righty Hiroki Kuroda, who is 5-6 with a 3.43 ERA. One start after his near perfect game, Kuroda received a no-decision on Saturday against the Florida Marlins, as he yielded three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 5-3 loss.

Kuroda lost his only other start to Arizona, giving up four runs (two earned) and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Arizona has won four of its five matchups with the Dodgers this season, including a three-game sweep in the desert back from April 7-9.