It would have been better if Ian Kennedy used a dishwasher. Image: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

None of it mattered on the scoreboard.

The D’backs swept the Rangers on Memorial Day to expand their lead to a game and a half over the San Francisco Giants.  Prado’s injury came at an unfortunate time as he was red-hot, just coming off tying a club record with seven consecutive hits.  Parra was also sizzling at the dish going 3 for 6 on the day before departing.  While this year hasn’t been kind to Kennedy, some home cooking could have helped him get on the right track.  His injury opened the door for super-prospect Tyler Skaggs to make his 2013 debut and he did it in style with six innings of scoreless baseball with nine strikeouts.  Skaggs was sent back down to Triple A Reno after the game,  no doubt in a better frame of mind than when he was sent down toward the end of Spring Training.

It doesn’t seem as though the injuries to the three players are anything serious at the moment that would require any significant time to be missed.  Today’s odd day off will give them extra time to rest.   There is no timetable for the return of second baseman Aaron Hill and closer J.J. Putz so any DL time for these guys would be hurtful for the team.  However, this doubleheader sweep made me feel for the first time this season that this could be a special year for the D’backs.

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Image: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The D’backs were crushed throughout baseball for the trades that sent Trevor Bauer and Justin Upton packing this offseason. Yet, the main pieces in their haul in those trades, Didi Gregorius and Martin Prado, hit a home run each to give the D’backs their only two runs in the regular nine innings against the Yanks.

Then, after closer J.J. Putz gave up a game-tying solo shot to Francisco Cervelli in the bottom of the ninth, Cody Ross, whose 3-year, $26 million contract he signed this offseason was also panned, delivered the go-ahead single in the 12th to put the D’backs on top for good.

It was sort of a redemption game for GM Kevin Towers as the entire league watches Justin Upton hit home run after home run. Now, nothing can be taken from a one-game sample like today, but it had to feel good anyways.

In the third, Phil Hughes threw a fastball down and in and Gregorius turned on it, driving it out on a line to right field. The home run was Gregorius’ first in the majors and came in his first at bat, and the first pitch, as a D’back.

In the sixth, Hughes tried to go upstairs on Prado, who promptly drove it into the left field bleachers.

The Yanks scored their first run on another mammoth blast off of the bat of Robinson Cano, who was the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding outing from Patrick Corbin.

Corbin went seven innings, only gave up the one run on Cano’s shot, struck out seven and gave up two hits.

In the 12th, Gerardo Parra broke up an 0-for-5 game for him by leading off with a double to right center. After Prado flew out to deep center to move Parra to third, Paul Goldschmidt reached on a catcher’s interference, the second of the game, and Miguel Montero was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Ross.

One of the reasons cited for Ross’ signing in the offseason despite the utter depth of talent in the outfield at the time was his ability to be “clutch.” At least in this case, Ross proved that to be true by hitting a liner into left to score Parra.

Eric Chavez shut the door on the Yanks in the next at bat with a bases clearing double to make the final 6-2.

The win saved the D’backs from the three-game sweep.

The D’backs now travel to Colorado to face the red-hot Rockies, who have won six straight and lead the NL West with an 11-4 record. The pitching match ups look to be Ian Kennedy (1-1, 5.79) against Jhoulys Chacin (2-0, 1.96 and Trevor Cahill (0-2, 3.50) facing off with Jorge De La Rosa (1-1, 3.86). On Sunday, Brandon McCarthy (0-2, 7.47) will be on the bump for the D’backs against a pitcher yet to be determined for the Rockies.

Martin Prado hit .455 for Venezuela in the WBC. Image: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

For Prado, it is a chance to become a little bit more familiar with his new teammates.  The third baseman led Venezuela with a .455 batting average with five hits in eleven at-bats.   With the injury to Cody Ross, Parra becomes the favorite to start in right field and while he is excellent with the glove, he hasn’t had  much time at the position with Justin Upton holding down the fort the past six years.  Parra was hitless in eight at-bats in the WBC but celebrated his return to Arizona by hitting a home run and driving in three during last night’s 7-0 D’back victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Montero had two hits in seven at-bats in the Classic and really has nothing to do in camp other than rest up and get ready to catch 130 games this season.  Other than Brandon McCarthy, Montero knows the rest of the rotation and most of the members of the bullpen.  He still needs to hit  during these Spring games to keep his batting eye sharp and his stroke smooth.

The D’backs are not whole yet.  Willie Bloomquist, Heath Bell and David Hernandez are all playing for Team USA which battles the Dominican Republic this evening.  Those three guys should be back into camp no later than Wednesday.  Arizona will then have less than two weeks as a complete unit to prepare for 2013.  So, D’back fans were you happy six of your players were involved in the WBC or would you have preferred if they stayed at Spring Training?

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