Diamondbacks rally to beat Cardinals and end five-game skid

By AP
Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Diamondbacks rally to beat Cards and end skid

PHOENIX — Pitcher Dan Haren had a career-high four hits to overcome a shaky start and help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-7 on Tuesday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Haren tied a franchise record for pitchers with his four hits, set twice by former Diamondback Micah Owings. The last major-league pitcher to get four hits in a game was the Chicago Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano on May 23, 2008.

Haren (2-1) gave up seven runs and nine hits in six innings.

Kelly Johnson had three doubles and Mark Reynolds had a three-run homer off Mitchell Boggs (0-1).

Ryan Ludwick homered twice and Albert Pujols added a solo shot for the Cardinals.

The Diamondbacks trailed 2-0, 4-2 and 7-5 before Reynolds’ homer in the fourth inning gave them the lead for good.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse gave up seven runs and eight hits in three-plus innings. He walked four. Leading 4-2, Lohse retired the first two Diamondbacks in the third before walking two. Gerardo Parra doubled to right-center field for two runs batted in, and after another walk Haren bounced a two-run single to left for a 5-4 Arizona lead.

The Cardinals took the lead again on Brendan Ryan’s two-run triple in the fourth off Haren, one of five hits in the inning.

The Diamondbacks turned the game over to their struggling bullpen, and it delivered. Juan Gutierrez, who came in with a 9.00 earned run average, pitched two scoreless innings, and Chad Qualls (8.44) struck out two in the ninth for his second save of the season.

NOTES: Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero, on the disabled list since April 11 with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, was in the clubhouse before Tuesday’s game and said he’s feeling better after getting a second opinion on his injury. He said he’s already started doing exercises on his knee though he has yet to start running or squatting, and that watching his team from home has been difficult. “Sometimes I have to shut it down (the TV) and play video games,” Montero said. … A moment of silence was observed before the game at Chase Field in remembrance of Colorado Rockies president Keli McGregor, who was found dead Tuesday morning. McGregor worked with the Diamondbacks’ front office on a new spring training complex project near Scottsdale, Ariz., for both teams. … Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson recorded his first career major league hit, a soft single to right, in the fourth inning.

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