Bullpen woes continue for Diamondbacks

Another solid effort by a D-backs starter goes for nothing again Sunday afternoon against the Cubbies. Because of the cold and rainy conditions, both Bob Melvin and Lou Piniella decided to pull their starters, Randy Johnson and Carlos Zambrano and not risk injury. Well, unfortunately it was not a good time to pull Johnson, as noted has never lost to the Cubs.

But, Edgar Gonzalez stepped in and pitched a very solid five innings. He only gave up two runs on five hits. But...with the D-backs leading 4-2 in the seventh, once again the bullpen came in and gave it all away. Juan Cruz gave up two runs, and was then replaced by Tony Pena. With the game tied at four, the Cubs Daryle Ward hit a two-run double to win it for the Cubs.

And, along with the faltering bullpen, once again the ineptitude of the D-backs offense keeps rearing it's ugly head. They could only muster five hits....

So, the D-backs have now lost two consecutive series, but still retain a 3.5 gain lead in the NL West. So, that's the good news..the Dodgers are tanking right now as well.

They've now lost seven of their last ten. Time to panic yet? Don't believe so. It was bound to happen, and now it has...that's all.

Hopefully with the Rockies coming into town on Tuesday, that the Diamondbacks will return to the old form, i.e. the way they have mastered the West in the past.

Scherzer outstanding, Qualls a mess in D-backs loss

Max Scherzer threw an absolutely brilliant game today in Chicago. I mean, six complete innings and only gives up a single run on five hits. He also had 6 K's and one walk. He left with a 2-1 lead and we're all thinking it's money time for Mr. Scherzer and he's going to get his first major league win. Come on, with the D-backs masterful 7-8-9 guys...most likely will happen....

Well....Chad Qualls promptly brought in his gas can to the mound in the seventh, and it was a mess. His fuel led to four earned runs in 1/3 inning...wow....Then Brandon Medders relieved him and quickly gave up a two-run shot to Fukodome...I mean...freaking Fukodome!!??? That shut the door for good as the D-backs go down 7-2.

Mercifully Eric Byrnes was not in the lineup today. Hope he can get back in there manana and right the ship somehow...this team is going nowhere fast without Byrnesie being a huge part of the offense. Four hits scratched out again today...and two by our main man Augie Ojeda....not good.

Well....the D-backs have Randy Johnson going tomorrow...thank goodness...since he has never lost to the Cubs...argh....hope I didn't speak to soon...

Haren good, but not good enough

Dan Haren threw an outstanding game today. Seven innings and only gave up two runs on five hits. Normally with this team, that's an automatic W. Not today. Ted Lilly had a slightly better line: one run on three hits in seven innings.

So, the 3-1 loss brings Haren to 4-2 on the year. The D-backs offense just could not get it going today. It was definitely a chilly day out there...maybe that had something to do with it. The offense only scratched out four hits. That ain't gonna do it.

The game started out like many other games this year, with the D-backs taking a first inning 1-0 lead on a solo shot by Chris Young. Young was again in the three hole today. Eric Byrnes again hit leadoff....and was 0-for-4 with 2 K's. Don't understand why Melvin is putting Byrnes in the leadoff spot when he is struggling so horrifically. He's not doing his team any favors there....PLEASE...Bo Mel...put him way down in the lineup until he figures it out!!!!

The D-backs will try to figure it out again tomorrow when Max Scherzer makes his second start of the year against the Cubs Ryan Dempster. The D-backs got a tough draw in the Cubs pitching this weekend...with the 4-1 Dempster on Saturday and the 5-1 Carlos Zambrano going Sunday against the Big Unit. But, the Unit has never lost against the Cubbies, so that may be the savior. But, I think Scherzer is going to be lights out tomorrow...just a feeling.

Brandon Webb....lighting it up again

For Brandon Webb, everything has come easy so far this season. We as D-back fans have now come to expect him to win every time out - and he hasn't failed us. Today he went to 8-0 on the season, with a complete gamer as the D-backs evened the series with the Phillies by winning 8-3. Webb gave up three runs (only two earned), on six hits. He also had 4 K's and not a single walk.

Webb gave up a quick run in the first, but then the D-backs came right back in the bottom of the first to get two runs back. They are almost unstoppable when they score in the first inning. It was Chris Young who was responsible for those two runs, hitting a dinger with one out for his eighth of the year. Young was uncharacteristically hitting in the three hole today, and made the most of it early. Eric Byrnes hit leadoff instead, and continued to drill deeper in his slump, going 0-for-5 on the day. As I mentioned yesterday, Byrnesie has to get that 'stache going or things are going to get uglier. I understand Melvin's decision to go with Byrnes at leadoff I guess....try to get him going one way or another. But, honestly he really belongs in the six or seven hole right now. Maybe Bo Mel thinks it would be a blow to his psyche, but he needs to take the pressure off for a bit to get his stroke back.

Augie Ojeda is great, isn't he? I mean, you can plug this guy in at any time and he will play good, solid defense and hit like a witch. He went 1-for-3 again today filling in for O-dog, and is hitting .351 on the year...love that guy.

As I felt would be the case last night, Conor Jackson was not in the lineup today to give him another day of rest after that big-time collision in yesterday's game. Jackson said before the game he could have played today, but best to take a day to recover. Looks like he suffered a mild concussion from that helmet to the face...ouch....

Also nice to see Mark Reynolds heating up again, going 3-for-4 today.

Tomorrow it's off to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where Danny Haren will take the hill against the Cubs Ted Lilly in the first game of the three-game series. It's an early 11:20 AM start local time. The Cubbies are at 19-15, two games back of the Cardinals in the NL Central.

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Great news from the Doctor's office: Arizona left-hander Doug Davis has been pronounced as being cancer free, after testing showed that the disease had not spread. Davis is ready to make two starts in AAA Tucson, on Saturday and next Thursday before rejoining the big club. Hmm...wonder what's going to happen to that starting rotation...Scherzer back to the pen??

Tough one tonight for D-backs

Today Conor Jackson turned 26. Today Conor Jackson had himself a real nice night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, including a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh, but it was a collision at first base in the eighth that may cause Jackson not to remember much of tonight. Phillies' center fielder Shane Victorino was busting it down the line to first when he collided with Jackson as he moved to the inside of the bag to take the throw. Make no mistake, it was a violent collision. Both seemed a bit dazed briefly, but Jackson certainly got the worst of it.

In the post-game interview with Jackson, he indicated he was a nauseous and had a headache. It was clear he had a bit of a welt on his right cheekbone from the collision. Since the D-backs play a 12:40 PM game tomorrow, I would seriously doubt Jackson would play....but...their bench is thin right now with O-Dog not available as well. So...Hopefully Jackson can get some good rest and will be ready to go soon.

Hitting sensation Micah Owings pitched an outstanding game and went 1-for-3 with a double. He went seven innings, giving up only three runs on four hits. Two of the three runs came on a two-run homer in the seventh off the bat of Pedro Feliz. He left the game after the seventh, with the game tied at 3. The offense then promptly came up and got a run back from Jackson's double to take a 4-3 lead at the end of seven.

But, the usually reliable D-backs bullpen gave it up in the eighth, as Chad Qualls gave up a couple of knocks and a couple of runs (go-ahead RBI by Chase Utley) . Qualls gets both the blown save and the loss (0-3), as this was really his first big struggle of the season.

Brad Lidge then came on in the ninth and just buried Arizona. He has just about the nastiest slider and 96 mph heater I've seen in quite some time. This guy was dead and buried for a couple of years, and now he is just lights out. He still hasn't given up an earned run this year and leads the majors in strikeouts per innings pitched. He obviously has no memory of Albert Pujols at this point....unfortunately.

This was a tough one to lose here, especially since the D-backs had nearly twice as many hits (13) as the Phillies (7), but when you leave 18 on base it's not going to happen....and it didn't.

Let's see if our money man Brandon Webb can even out the series tomorrow against the Phillies Brett Myers.

Eric Byrnes: please grow your 'stache back!

After the torrid start and hitting streak to start the season, Eric Byrnes and his 'stache-less face have gone in the tank. Consider his last 10 games: he's hitting .146, slugging .171, nine punchouts, and one stinking RBI.

Byrnesie my man....please grow that lame porn 'stache of yours back. Take one for the team here bro...you need it...the team needs it...and most importantly I need it :-)

You are in the depths of despair, and since you are now a happily married man, the usual slump buster is not going to work here...so...your slump buster is the porn 'stache...do it...do it...do it...