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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHOENIX (AP) -- Suddenly, the Arizona Diamondbacks are feeling a
whole lot better about themselves.
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| Gonzalez |
Taking two out of three from the Atlanta Braves, the team with the best record in baseball, will do that.
"Winning two in a row against these guys, beating a couple of
real good pitchers does wonders for team confidence," Arizona
starter Brian Anderson said.
Luis Gonzalez drove in five runs in his second two-homer game in
four days and the Diamondbacks ended Andy Ashby's five-game winning
streak with an 8-4 victory Thursday night.
On the heels of Curt Schilling's masterful 2-0 victory over Greg
Maddux, Arizona may have righted its wobbly ship and will send
Randy Johnson to the mound when the New York Mets begin a
three-game series at Phoenix Friday night.
"This is a big mental lift for us," Gonzalez said. "We really
haven't gotten on a good winning streak like we did last year. I
think last year at this time was the time we made the run.
Hopefully, we can do it again this year."
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Heating up in Hotlanta
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Andy Ashby's totals since joining the Braves: |
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W-L
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3-1
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IP
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27
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Hits
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23
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R
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9
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ER
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8
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BB
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9
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SO
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23
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ERA
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2.67
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Gonzalez had a three-run home run in the first, an RBI double in
the third and a solo homer in the fifth, all off Ashby (7-8).
"Gonzalez has been hitting me since I started here opening day
with Philadelphia," Ashby said.
Gonzalez is following his career season in 1999 with another big
year. He's hitting .323 with 24 home runs.
"I don't get too high or too low in this game," Gonzalez said.
"I've learned a lot in my 10 years playing up here, and I've seen
a lot. I just think the older I'm getting, the more knowledgeable
and better I'm getting up there at the plate."
Jason Conti, in his third game since being recalled from
Triple-A Tucson, was 3-for-4 with a two-run single in the fifth. He
also threw out Brian Jordan at third base from right field for the
second night in a row.
Conti threw him out Thursday when Jordan tagged from second in
the second inning. On Wednesday, Jordan was caught trying to go
first to third on B.J. Surhoff's single.
Tony Womack stole four bases to tie his career-best, set with
Pittsburgh in 1997, and break the Diamondbacks team record. He had
not stolen more than one base in a game all season. Two of the
steals came in the eighth off John Rocker when the catcher didn't
even bother to make a throw.
Jordan hit a three-run homer off Anderson and pinch-hitter Wally
Joyner had a solo home run into the swimming pool beyond the
right-field fence off reliever Johnny Ruffin.
Anderson (9-4) got his first victory since June 26, ending a
frustrating stretch when he was 0-2 with four no-decisions despite
giving up no more than three runs in five of his six July starts.
Anderson allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Ruffin relieved Anderson with runners at first and third and two outs in the sixth, and Andres Galarraga grounded into a fielder's choice.
Matt Mantei extended his strikeout streak to eight, tying
Byung-Hyun Kim's club record, by fanning the first two batters in
the ninth. Mantei retired Surhoff on a fly ball to complete his
perfect inning.
Ashby allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits while
pitching four innings plus two batters in the fifth.
He hadn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his
previous five starts. Since coming to Atlanta in a trade from
Philadelphia, Ashby was 3-0 with two complete games and a 0.78 ERA.
But he was in trouble from the start this time.
"I was falling behind and I was getting the ball up in the
zone," Ashby said. "When you do that, it's not going to be an
easy night."
Womack reached on a fielding error by first baseman Galarraga to
start the game. Jay Bell walked before Gonzalez homered to right on
a 2-2 pitch.
Bell singled and scored on Gonzalez's double to make it 4-0 in
the third, then Jordan's homer cut it to 4-3 in the fourth.
Womack's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth
increased the lead to 5-3, then the Diamondbacks scored three more
in the fifth.
Gonzalez led off the inning with his 24th home run of the
season. Matt Williams doubled and Terry Mulholland relieved Ashby.
Finley singled, then Alex Cabrera was hit by a pitch to load the
bases for Conti, who singled on an 0-2 pitch to drive in two runs.
Game notes
Anderson's pickoff of Chipper Jones in the first inning was
the lefty's ninth of the season and Arizona's 19th. ... In eight
at-bats against Ashby this season, Gonzalez has five hits, three of
them homers. ... Atlanta's Javy Lopez grounded into his 15th double
play to end the fourth inning. ... Gonzalez has driven in eight of
Arizona's last 14 runs. ... Devon White stole three bases for the
Diamondbacks on May 17, 1998.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Yankees 3
Kansas City 2
Toronto 3
Texas 1
Cleveland 5
Tampa Bay 1
Florida 4
Houston 3
San Diego 6
Chicago Cubs 5
Arizona 8
Atlanta 4
San Francisco 10
Pittsburgh 2
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