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Clark continues mastery of Young as D-Backs pull even

Sep 5, 2007 - 6:27 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Tony Clark has something on Chris Young.

Clark homered for the fourth time this season against Young, and Eric Byrnes also went deep as the Arizona Diamondbacks pounded the San Diego Padres, 9-1, on Tuesday to draw even in the National League West Division.

Doug Davis continued his hot stretch with his second win over the Padres in five days for the Diamondbacks (77-63), who drew even again with the Padres (76-62) atop the National League West.

A day after San Diego clubbed a season-high five homers, including four in the first three innings, in a 10-2 win on Monday, Arizona put on a little power display of its own.

"It was very big getting those runs, homers early after last night and especially with our bullpen not being as good as we have seen it in the past," Diamondback manager Bob Melvin said. "Early on we needed some momentum. We scored some runs and got a lead."

The 6-10 Young, winless since July 19, opened the game by walking the first two batters but looked like he was poised to escape after getting a double-play grounder, but Clark, who entered 3-for-7 with three blasts against Young, drilled a 2-1 offering over the center field fence for a quick 2-0 lead.

Young entered the contest having allowed just seven home runs all season.

"I have no idea why and I am not going to try and figure it out," the 6-8 Clark said. "He (Young) is an uncomfortable at-bat. Very rarely do I face someone that is at least and inch taller then I am. The angle he throws at, his presence on the mound makes it not very comfortable and his numbers say so but for whatever reason I have been fortunate to have had some success against him."

Arizona's power surge struck again in the third, when Byrnes belted his 21st blast - a three-run shot to left-center - for a 5-0 edge. Stephen Drew started the frame by drilling a one-out double to deep center field and Orlando Hudson followed with a perfect bunt single. Hudson finished 3-for-3.

Young (9-6), who has battled a bad back and oblique, departed after four innings, yielding five runs and four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

"I felt better but I am still not where I need to be and I am a little discouraged because of that," Young said. "Tonight I had a lot more swings and misses then I have had in a while. I am not happy about the result but I think it is a step in the right direction."

While the offense was putting up runs with the long ball, Davis was keeping the Padres at bay with the double-play ball.

San Diego had runners on first and second in the third, but the Diamondbacks' lefthander induced Milton Bradley into an inning-ending doubleplay. In the next frame, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit into a twin killing after the first two batters reached.

"When a pitcher gets in trouble you always call on your best friend, the double play," Davis said. "The defense played awesome behind me."

The Padres had a chance to get back in the game in the fifth, loading the bases on two singles and a walk, but scored just once. Mike Cameron hit a sacrifice fly but Davis struck out Milton Bradley looking - leading to Bradley's ejection by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi - and Adrian Gonzalez on a flyout.

"Tony Clark has been a thorn in his (Young) side historically and Eric Byrnes has come to play the last two nights," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We had some chances and had Davis on the ropes but couldn't quite deliver like we did last night."

Davis (13-11), who now has 19 quality starts which is sixth in the National League, left after seven innings, yielding just six hits and five walks to win his third straight start and improve to 8-1 over his last 11 starts. He surrendered three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 frames in an 8-7 win against San Diego on Thursday.

"Quality starts are definitely the goal every year," Davis said. "You can't really control the wins and losses so quality starts keep your team in the game.

Justin Upton drove in a run for Arizona with a groundout in the sixth and Jeff Cirillo doubled in two runs in the eighth for an 8-1 lead. The final run scored on a balk by Clay Hensley.