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Reynolds' big night helps Diamondbacks take back first

Aug 31, 2007 - 7:08 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Mark Reynolds' rookie season has been filled with some of the highest highs and the lowest lows.

Reynolds had a career-high five RBI and Doug Davis tossed 6 2/3 strong innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks broke on top early and held on for an 8-7 triumph over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

In just his 10th major-league game on May 25, Reynolds posted his first career five-hit game, belting two homers in the process. Nearly three months later, on August 21, he tied a major league record by striking out in nine straight plate appearances.

Thursday was a good day for Reynolds at the plate, however, as he put Arizona on his back in the second inning, sending a two-run shot off Padres starter Chris Young (9-5) over the fence in left-center to give the Diamondbacks an early 2-0 advantage. With the bases loaded in the fifth, the 24-year-old cleared the bases with a three-run double to right to increase Arizona's lead to 5-0.

"Unbelievable game today for him," Diamondbacks Manager Bob Melvin said. "One, to get us on the board off of Young, then, what was really the at-bat of the game against (Cla) Meredith."

"I felt like I saw the ball well all night," Reynolds said. "After I got the home run off of Young, it's weird, something like that gets you locked back in and it makes you feel like how the heck was I in a slump in the first place?"

Reynolds, who finished just a triple short of the cycle, singled in the seventh to record his ninth multiple-hit game in the last 21 contests for the Diamondbacks, who halted a slide that had seen them lose seven of their previous 10 games.

Davis (12-11) continued his stellar pitching since the All-Star break, allowing just three hits and a walk through the first six innings before running into trouble with two outs in seventh. Overall, he permitted three runs and four hits with seven strikeouts, improving to 7-1 with a 3.80 ERA since the Midsummer Classic.

"For the first six innings, I was getting ahead and was able to get them out by chasing pitches and making them hit the pitch I wanted them to hit," Davis said. "I went out in the seventh, fell behind a lot, that's why I got in trouble."

The win allowed the Diamondbacks (75-60) to retake their lead in the National League West after seeing the Padres (73-60) pull even after San Diego won the first three games of the series.

"Huge win for us tonight," Melvin said. "Everyone talks about how tough it is to sweep a four-game series. Well, when you lose the first three, it can be difficult on the team that loses the first three."

Young had one of his worst starts of the season as he matched a season high by surrendering five runs and two hits with a season-high six walks.

"I was rusty, that's it," Young said. "I dug us in a hole and it was too much to overcome. I think the way I felt physically, I'll take that. I'll just iron out the wrinkles a little bit and I'll be good to go."

Trailing 8-0 in the seventh, San Diego mounted an incredible rally against three Arizona relievers in the late innings, plating three runs in each of the next two innings to trim the lead to 8-6. Closer Jose Valverde worked around a solo blast from Milton Bradley in the ninth to post his major league-leading 41st save in 47 chances.

"What a comeback," Padres Manager Bud Black said. "The guys kept getting on base. We just didn't have enough innings to catch them."

Kevin Kouzmanoff had two hits and scored twice for the Padres, who saw their four-game winning streak over the Diamondbacks come to an end.