Chris Young’s Grand Slam Leads Hit Parade

When the season started, the one player I was still concerned about making progress, other than pitcher Brandon Webb of course, was center fielder Chris Young.  Four games in, I will curtail my worry for a little while.  Young had a career night on Friday night, hitting a grand slam, ending the night with three hits and five RBI as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1.  With Young hitting .400 after his big night, he now has the second highest average on the team amongst the regulars.  Catcher Miguel Montero has the highest average at .545. 

Also making progress was first baseman Adam Laroche.  Laroche was 0-12 to start the season before his two hit and three RBI night.  It was nice to see him settle in a little.  Perhaps though the best thing I saw on Friday night at Chase Field was the Dbacks defense.  Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Miguel Montero, and Mark Reynolds all made suburb plays in the field.  Drew’s deserved a Web Gems highlight from ESPN. 

It was a rough start though.  Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton struck out five of the first six Dbacks hitters he faced.  It appeared it would be a long night.  After the rough start, the next nine out of 14 hitters got a hit.  Lights out Morton.  On the other side, Dbacks starter Rodrigo Lopez went six innings and minus a rough first inning when he gave up three hits to load the bases.  He struck out five and even had a single at the plate.  he was the first and last hitter in the Dbacks six-run third inning. 

Tomorrow night, Dan Haren gets his second start of the season.  I like our chances to go 4-1.  For now, the Dbacks are 3-1 for only the second time in franchise history. The other time was in 2000. 

Scott Allen