Yakkacat25
09-06-2007, 10:56 AM
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0905dbgame0906.html
Hey Rick pretty cool huh?:>
Diamondbacks alone in 1st place
Nick Piecoro
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 6, 2007 12:00 AM
Three days ago, the sky was falling in Diamondbacks land, just as it was for them in June at Yankee Stadium, in July in the Midwest, in San Diego last week.
But if there is a lesson to be learned and relearned from this Diamondbacks team, it is to expect the unexpected. Count them out at your own risk.
With consecutive victories over the Padres this week, including Wednesday night's 9-6 win over Cy Young favorite Jake Peavy at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks moved a game up on San Diego atop the National League West standings and pulled away from the next wave of contenders in the wild-card chase.
With Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Colorado all losing, the Diamondbacks have four games' worth of breathing room for a playoff spot with 21 games remaining.
After dropping the opening game of this series against San Diego, the Diamondbacks rallied to take the next two against Padres right-handers Chris Young and Peavy.
"After the first game here when they beat us up, we needed to send a message back," manager Bob Melvin said. "The guys responded beautifully against two of the better pitchers in all of baseball."
The wins might have come at a cost. Two injuries to worry about during today's off day: Second baseman Orlando Hudson left the game after the seventh inning because of a sprained left thumb suffered sliding into third in Tuesday night's game. He will have an MRI exam today. Reliever Juan Cruz departed after seven pitches in the sixth because of tightness in his right shoulder and neck.
Last week, Peavy held the Diamondbacks to three hits in seven innings and suggested he come back on three days' rest to face Arizona.
Whether the short rest was the reason, Peavy did not look sharp, as the Diamondbacks scored eight times off him in four-plus innings. The motivation angle might have sharpened the Diamondbacks' focus.
"OK, he wants to pitch against us with three days off, you've got to make him pay, you know?" said catcher Miguel Montero, who hit one of his two solo home runs off Peavy. "We're in first place because we have played good no matter who is pitching. Tonight it was him."
Conor Jackson hit a two-run home run in the first inning, but the big blow was the bases-clearing double in a four-run fifth by Arizona's Chris Young off reliever Doug Brocail, who took over for Peavy with nobody out and the bases loaded.
That gave the Diamondbacks an 8-5 lead, which they handed over to the bullpen after starter Livan Hernandez was nearly as ineffective as Peavy. The relievers protected the lead for four innings.
There were other contributors, including Eric Byrnes (two steals, two runs), Jeff Salazar (key RBI single in the fourth) and Hudson (tying triple in the fifth).
"A lot of people were talking and talking, everybody saying 'San Diego, San Diego,' " Hernandez said. "This team has a lot of heart and plays hard every day. If people don't believe in this team, I don't care. I know the team plays hard every day. If the team continues to play hard like this, we're going to be in the playoffs."
Hey Rick pretty cool huh?:>
Diamondbacks alone in 1st place
Nick Piecoro
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 6, 2007 12:00 AM
Three days ago, the sky was falling in Diamondbacks land, just as it was for them in June at Yankee Stadium, in July in the Midwest, in San Diego last week.
But if there is a lesson to be learned and relearned from this Diamondbacks team, it is to expect the unexpected. Count them out at your own risk.
With consecutive victories over the Padres this week, including Wednesday night's 9-6 win over Cy Young favorite Jake Peavy at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks moved a game up on San Diego atop the National League West standings and pulled away from the next wave of contenders in the wild-card chase.
With Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Colorado all losing, the Diamondbacks have four games' worth of breathing room for a playoff spot with 21 games remaining.
After dropping the opening game of this series against San Diego, the Diamondbacks rallied to take the next two against Padres right-handers Chris Young and Peavy.
"After the first game here when they beat us up, we needed to send a message back," manager Bob Melvin said. "The guys responded beautifully against two of the better pitchers in all of baseball."
The wins might have come at a cost. Two injuries to worry about during today's off day: Second baseman Orlando Hudson left the game after the seventh inning because of a sprained left thumb suffered sliding into third in Tuesday night's game. He will have an MRI exam today. Reliever Juan Cruz departed after seven pitches in the sixth because of tightness in his right shoulder and neck.
Last week, Peavy held the Diamondbacks to three hits in seven innings and suggested he come back on three days' rest to face Arizona.
Whether the short rest was the reason, Peavy did not look sharp, as the Diamondbacks scored eight times off him in four-plus innings. The motivation angle might have sharpened the Diamondbacks' focus.
"OK, he wants to pitch against us with three days off, you've got to make him pay, you know?" said catcher Miguel Montero, who hit one of his two solo home runs off Peavy. "We're in first place because we have played good no matter who is pitching. Tonight it was him."
Conor Jackson hit a two-run home run in the first inning, but the big blow was the bases-clearing double in a four-run fifth by Arizona's Chris Young off reliever Doug Brocail, who took over for Peavy with nobody out and the bases loaded.
That gave the Diamondbacks an 8-5 lead, which they handed over to the bullpen after starter Livan Hernandez was nearly as ineffective as Peavy. The relievers protected the lead for four innings.
There were other contributors, including Eric Byrnes (two steals, two runs), Jeff Salazar (key RBI single in the fourth) and Hudson (tying triple in the fifth).
"A lot of people were talking and talking, everybody saying 'San Diego, San Diego,' " Hernandez said. "This team has a lot of heart and plays hard every day. If people don't believe in this team, I don't care. I know the team plays hard every day. If the team continues to play hard like this, we're going to be in the playoffs."