INSIDE PITCH
Micah Owings needed to see results. Positive results. Another shaky
start in the Diamondbacks rotation, and the rookie right-hander knew he
might be looking at another role in the organization, likely in Class
AAA Tucson.
But Owings, who had been 0-4 in his last seven starts and was
carrying a 9.55 ERA in July, came through when he needed to most.
Owings allowed just one run and four hits over six fairly solid
innings, and although he still hasn't picked up a victory since June 20
against Tampa Bay, he pitched well enough to win. The Diamondbacks wound
up beating the Padres 9-5 in 11 innings Wednesday night to remain in
first place in the National League West.
Owings also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and lasted six
innings for just the second time in his last seven starts.
He lost his shot at picking up the victory when closer Jose Valverde
blew his fifth save in 36 chances. But manager Bob Melvin was pleased
with the rookie's outing and will be counting on more efforts like this
last one as the Diamondbacks get ready for the stretch run and try to
stave off the Dodgers, Padres and Rockies in a tightly contested NL
West race.
Owings has been spending extra time lately working with pitching
coach Bryan Price, altering a few small things with his mechanics and
trying to get more execution early in counts with his two-seam fastball.
"I'm going to keep working and keep fighting, and any struggles I've
had I know I'm going to learn from, and it's going to make me better
in the long run," Owings said.
DIAMONDBACKS 9, PADRES 5 (11 innings): The Diamondbacks won for the
10th time in their last 11 games and joined the New York Mets as the
only two teams in the National League with 60 wins in beating the Padres
on Wednesday at PETCO Park.
Arizona collected 15 hits and remains in first place in the NL West,
but the Diamondbacks had to go to extra innings after blowing a
four-run lead in the ninth. The game featured several twists and turns as
well as exciting plays, highlighted by Chris Young robbing Mike Cameron in
the fifth inning of a grand slam by reaching over the wall in center
field to bring the ball back.
Jeff DaVanon, playing for injured right fielder Carlos Quentin, led
off the 11th with a double to right field off Heath Bell that former
Diamondback Scott Hairston nearly caught on a diving attempt.
Augie Ojeda sacrificed DaVanon to third. Young struck out, and after
Orlando Hudson drew a two-out walk, DaVanon scored the go-ahead run on
a dribbler back up the middle by Eric Byrnes that Khalil Greene
couldn't field cleanly with a bare hand.
Chad Tracy followed with a pinch-hit, three-run homer to center
field to break it open.
NOTES, QUOTES
--RF Carlos Quentin suffered a pulled right hamstring while rounding
the bases on a double Wednesday night in San Diego. He is listed as
day-to-day.
--INF Chad Tracy said the shot of synthetic gel he had injected into
his bothersome right knee has improved the situation greatly, and
manager Bob Melvin plans to put him in the starting lineup Thursday in San
Diego.
"It feels the best it has since it started (hurting)," Tracy said.
"Hopefully, some of the stuff we're doing will stick, and I'll finish up
strong."
--CF Chris Young is batting .291 in the leadoff spot and .198
everywhere else in the order.
"I'm just going to say it's a coincidence," Young said.
--INF Chad Tracy's three-run, pinch-hit homer at San Diego on
Wednesday was the 11th pinch-hit homer of the season by a Diamondback, tops
in the majors and one shy of tying the club record in a single season.
--RHP Brandon Lyon, on needing one more hold to become the
franchise's all-time leader with 45: "I'm more just about helping my team win
than worrying about that kind of stuff."
--OF Eric Byrnes on CF Chris Young leaping over the wall to steal a
potential grand slam by Mike Cameron in the fifth inning of Wednesday's
game against the Padres: "That might be the greatest play I've ever
seen."
BY THE NUMBERS: 23 -- Earned runs allowed by rookie right-hander
Micah Owings in his last five starts, through July 26. He held San Diego
to one run in six innings Aug. 1.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I can deal with the pain, but the symptoms aren't
allowing me to pitch. When I bend over, my hamstring with the nerve in
there just feels like it's on fire. To do that repeated times, makes my
leg weak. ... Everything just starts kind of shutting down." --
Left-hander Randy Johnson on deciding the miss the rest of the season by
undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.
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