Post by unnameddbacksfan on Jun 20, 2008 10:44:39 GMT -5
D-Backs' offense, pitching align
Diamondbacks look to build on victory
by Nick Piecoro - Jun. 18, 2008 10:46 PM
The Arizona Republic
Among the exploits observed on Wednesday night at Chase Field were several notables believed to have been placed on a Diamondbacks endangered list, occurrences last seen on some fading scorecard from weeks ago.
There was an explosive inning and an early lead, a home run from Chris Young (on an off-speed pitch, no less), no clunkers from the defense and an actual buzz inside the ballpark (!), all of which came, no less, on the same night they got a good pitching performance.
It is still just one game in a long season that is certain to include more valleys and peaks but considering the general malaise in which they had existed the previous three days, the Diamondbacks' 11-1 stomping of the Oakland Athletics at least acted as one of Conor Jackson's "wish-wash" moments.
As in, it let them wash away the foul taste the past few games had left in their mouths.
"Hopefully," manager Bob Melvin said, "it's something to build on."
Right-hander Dan Haren took the 5-0 lead his team gave him after the first inning and ran with it, throwing seven solid innings against his old club and even mashing a three-run double off buddy Joe Blanton to all but put the game away in the third inning.
"We've been waiting to bust out," Haren said. "I think this was a game that was waiting to happen for a while. It was nice. It kind of felt like April out there. We got all those runs early and just kept rolling."
With Melvin's team sporting a revamped lineup that featured regular cleanup hitter Jackson batting second, the Diamondbacks ran off four consecutive hits off Blanton to start the bottom of the first, an inning capped by Young's three-run shot. Young blistered a Blanton curveball 412 feet to left-center field for his first home run since May 31.
They put two more runners aboard in the third, prompting the A's to walk No. 8 hitter Jeff Salazar to get to Haren, who spoiled the strategy by driving a double over Carlos Gonzalez's head in center field to clear the bases and make it 8-0.
Haren pitched shutout ball until the seventh, turning in the sort of start the Diamondbacks have gotten used to, the kind they envisioned when they dealt six players to Oakland for him in December.
The Diamondbacks had been outscored 35-7 in their previous three games, all lethargic contests, two of which came against the Royals and the other a 15-1 pancaking by the A's on Tuesday night.
Haren said it was "a little weird" going up against his old team, but he used a slightly different approach - more cut fastballs - and looked mostly overpowering to win a game he viewed as particularly important to the team, which had won just nine of the past 27.
"This is a critical time for us; we're trying to find out what kind of team we are," Haren said.
"We know what we're capable of. . . . I feel confident this team will make a run eventually and extend whatever lead we have."
Diamondbacks look to build on victory
by Nick Piecoro - Jun. 18, 2008 10:46 PM
The Arizona Republic
Among the exploits observed on Wednesday night at Chase Field were several notables believed to have been placed on a Diamondbacks endangered list, occurrences last seen on some fading scorecard from weeks ago.
There was an explosive inning and an early lead, a home run from Chris Young (on an off-speed pitch, no less), no clunkers from the defense and an actual buzz inside the ballpark (!), all of which came, no less, on the same night they got a good pitching performance.
It is still just one game in a long season that is certain to include more valleys and peaks but considering the general malaise in which they had existed the previous three days, the Diamondbacks' 11-1 stomping of the Oakland Athletics at least acted as one of Conor Jackson's "wish-wash" moments.
As in, it let them wash away the foul taste the past few games had left in their mouths.
"Hopefully," manager Bob Melvin said, "it's something to build on."
Right-hander Dan Haren took the 5-0 lead his team gave him after the first inning and ran with it, throwing seven solid innings against his old club and even mashing a three-run double off buddy Joe Blanton to all but put the game away in the third inning.
"We've been waiting to bust out," Haren said. "I think this was a game that was waiting to happen for a while. It was nice. It kind of felt like April out there. We got all those runs early and just kept rolling."
With Melvin's team sporting a revamped lineup that featured regular cleanup hitter Jackson batting second, the Diamondbacks ran off four consecutive hits off Blanton to start the bottom of the first, an inning capped by Young's three-run shot. Young blistered a Blanton curveball 412 feet to left-center field for his first home run since May 31.
They put two more runners aboard in the third, prompting the A's to walk No. 8 hitter Jeff Salazar to get to Haren, who spoiled the strategy by driving a double over Carlos Gonzalez's head in center field to clear the bases and make it 8-0.
Haren pitched shutout ball until the seventh, turning in the sort of start the Diamondbacks have gotten used to, the kind they envisioned when they dealt six players to Oakland for him in December.
The Diamondbacks had been outscored 35-7 in their previous three games, all lethargic contests, two of which came against the Royals and the other a 15-1 pancaking by the A's on Tuesday night.
Haren said it was "a little weird" going up against his old team, but he used a slightly different approach - more cut fastballs - and looked mostly overpowering to win a game he viewed as particularly important to the team, which had won just nine of the past 27.
"This is a critical time for us; we're trying to find out what kind of team we are," Haren said.
"We know what we're capable of. . . . I feel confident this team will make a run eventually and extend whatever lead we have."