INSIDE PITCH
Before Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies, Diamondbacks
right fielder Carlos Quentin was standing in front of his locker at Chase
Field, trying to avoid having to talk about his ongoing hitting slump.
"Hopefully, I go out there tonight and have a few good, hard
knocks," he said. "Every time I step in there, I'm thinking about trying to
get a hit again. It's just a matter of being confident and like people
keep telling me, 'Trust it.'"
Quentin delivered in the biggest of ways a few hours later, hitting
two home runs for his first career multi-homer game, and also producing
a career-best five RBIs. His run-scoring sacrifice fly in the eighth
off left-hander Jeremy Affeldt was the go-ahead run and allowed the
Diamondbacks to beat the Rockies, 6-5, and win their third straight game.
"He's been swinging the bat well the last few days and hopefully,
he's coming out of that slump of his," said Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Brandon Webb, who got a no-decision. "It's encouraging. He picked up me
and the whole team today the way he swung the bat."
Quentin has now hit safely in four straight games after going
1-for-22 and mustering just three extra-base hits in the previous eight
games. By going 2-for-3 on Monday, he raised his batting average 24 points,
to .213 from .189.
"Boy, that was a nice game," manager Bob Melvin said. "We thought we
could see him coming out of it the last few games of our road trip, and
the confidence certainly keeps growing after today."
DIAMONDBACKS 6, ROCKIES 5: Carlos Quentin hit two home runs and
accounted for a career-high five RBIs Monday as the Diamondbacks won their
third straight game and fourth out of their past five in beating the
Rockies to begin a six-game home stand at Chase Field.
Starting pitcher Brandon Webb, however, still is having problems
solving the Rockies. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner
allowed five earned runs in seven innings and is now 0-2 with two
no-decisions in four starts this season against Colorado.
Overall, he is 7-5 against the Rockies.
Colorado's Brad Hawpe has been especially troublesome for Webb, as
the Rockies' right fielder hit a solo homer off the right-hander in the
second inning, giving him three homers in a span of three at-bats
against Webb. Hawpe homered twice against Webb the last time they faced each
other, on May 16 in Denver.
NOTES, QUOTES
--CF Chris Young did not start for a third consecutive game after
exiting Friday's game in Pittsburgh with a left groin pull, but manager
Bob Melvin said Young could be back in the lineup Tuesday at the
earliest and more likely on Wednesday.
--RHP Jose Valverde, who led the majors with four saves, was named
National League Co-Player of the Week along with Houston outfielder
Hunter Pence. Valverde earned his 17th save on Monday, tying him with
Milwaukee's Francisco Cordero for first in the majors.
"He's gone through these stretches before where he's been as good a
closer as there is in the National League," manager Bob Melvin said.
"The next step for him is to do it for a whole season."
--3B Chad Tracy, on the disabled list with a ribcage strain, hasn't
started any baseball activity to this point and it could be several
days before he is ready for a minor-league rehab stint.
--UTIL Alberto Callaspo dropped his grievance filed by the players'
union over his placement on the restricted list as he and the
Diamondbacks reached a settlement. Callaspo, who wasn't paid for nine days
following his arrest for allegedly assaulting his wife on May 10, will now
be paid for six of those days. He earns a little more than $2,000 per
day.
--OF Scott Hairston was a late scratch from Monday's starting
lineup, where he was scheduled to play left field, after his sore left wrist
became aggravated during batting practice. UTIL Alberto Callaspo got
the start in left field in his place.
--C Chris Snyder went 3-for-4 on Monday and is now 6-for-8 in his
last two games after going 1-for-27 in his previous eight games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 6 -- Run deficit the Diamondbacks made up on May 19
at PNC Park in Pittsburgh after falling behind 7-1 before rallying for
a 9-8 victory, tying the franchise record for the largest comeback win.
Arizona also rallied from a six-run deficit on two other occasions --
July 15, 1998 against visiting San Francisco, and May 2 last year
against the visiting Dodgers.