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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- While the Arizona Diamondbacks have
been far from consistent , especially their offense, Dan Haren
hasn't appeared to miss a beat in his return to the National
League.
Haren pitched eight strong innings Friday, leading the Arizona
Diamondbacks to a 10-2 rout of the San Francisco Giants.
Haren started his career with the St. Louis Cardinals and and
moved to Oakland in a 2004 trade for Mark Mulder. The
Diamondbacks acquired Haren in an eight-player offseason trade
with the Athletics and he has been rock-solid in his first
season back in the NL, not yielding more than two runs in any of
his last eight outings.
"That's pretty much what we see every time from him," Arizona
manager Bob Melvin said. "We've had some games we really
thought would give us some momentum and games we thought would
take the momentum away from us. We've got to follow it up
tomorrow."
"I pride myself on being consistent and I've always prided
myself on going out and giving the team a chance every time and
that's really all I try to do," Haren said.
Haren (10-5), who leads the NL with a 2.56 ERA, allowed two runs
and nine hits with nine strikeouts in winning for the fifth time
in six decisions and surpassing the 10-win mark for the fourth
consecutive season.
"Wins and losses, its hard to control those," Haren said. "I
mean there's a few games I could have won or lost this year and
I really try not to get caught up too much in wins and losses
but its nice to (reach the double-digit mark). I'm more happy
the team is winning and playing better."
The only inning in which Haren had any difficulty was the fifth
when, with two outs, he hit pinch hitter Emmanuel Burriss with a
pitch. Fred Lewis and Jose Castillo followed with back-to-back
singles, giving the Giants their only run.
By that time, however, Arizona held a 6-1 advantage, making
quick work of Jonathan Sanchez (8-6), who lasted a season-low 2
2/3 innings and went winless in the month of July going 0-2 with
an 8.47 ERA.
The lefthander labored in the second, throwing 44 pitches as the
Diamondbacks batted around during the five-run frame.
Conor Jackson opened the inning with a double and Chad Tracy
walked two batters later. Arizona then took the lead on a
single to left by Chris Snyder and, after the Giants failed to
turn a 6-4-3 double play on a grounder by Chris Burke, Haren
drew a walk to load the bases.
Stephen Drew and Chris Young followed with consecutive two-run
doubles to stake the Diamondbacks to an early 5-0 lead.
Jackson added another insurance run in the third, when he
crushed a changeup from Sanchez halfway up the bleachers in left
field.
Although Sanchez followed with strikeouts of Mark Reynolds and
Tracy, he was pulled after a walk to Snyder.
"I thought he had good stuff," San Francisco manager Bruce
Bochy said. "He was pitching so well (but) he is going to have
his off days. He's had some rest (during) the All-Star break.
He has worked hard the last couple of games and logged some
pitches but he feels fine."
Any hopes of a comeback by the Giants went up in smoke after
Diamondbacks scored four more runs in the seventh, including
three on a long homer to center by Reynolds.
For good measure, Tracy made it back-to-back blasts with a shot
to right into the arcade promenade, giving Arizona a 10-1
cushion.
The outburst was Arizona's best in a month and perhaps symbolic
of the Diamondbacks' offensive turnaround. They scored more than
six runs in a game for the fifth time t
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