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Diamondbacks' rookies come up big in win over Orioles

Jun 24, 2007 - 6:46 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- On Saturday at Chase Field, youth was served.

Rookies Miguel Montero and Mark Reynolds knocked in two runs each as the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied from an early deficit to defeat the Baltimore Orioles, 7-4.

Arizona began its comeback from a 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the fourth after Orioles starter Brian Burres walked two batters, setting the stage for Montero, who connected on a two-run single to left that cut the margin in half, 4-2.

Reynolds capped off a three-run fifth off Baltimore reliever Rob Bell (0-1), belting a two-run triple off the center field wall.

"It was a big morale win for us," Reynolds said. "To come back a couple of times in the past week proves to us that when we are down we can always come back. It was big confidence booster for me. It seems like it was the only ball I hit hard in a month."

Eric Byrnes added a 467-foot solo blast and Conor Jackson scored twice for Arizona, which improved to 11 games above .500 (43-32).

"The young guys had some big hits and off the lefty (Burres), too," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin. "Miguel hit a breaking ball that was huge at the time; it was 4-0. You can tell he is starting to believe in himself, and the Reynolds' hit was the biggest. Miguel gets us there, Reynolds puts us over the hump."

Juan Cruz (3-1) picked up the win with two scoreless innings, striking out four while scattering four hits. Relievers Tony Pena and Doug Slaten bridged the gap to closer Jose Valverde, who notched his 24th save in 27 chances.

The save also was Valverde's 75th as a Diamondback, the best mark in franchise history.

Bell surrendered three runs and four hits in relief of Burres in his inning of work.

Burres only lasted 4 1/3 allowing four runs, nine hits and walked four.

"Every once in awhile, I would throw a couple of good pitches but then go back throwing balls," Burres said. "Sometimes you lose the feel. If I had been able to able to execute my pitches better and gotten deeper in the game, I would have given my team a better chance to win."

Freddie Bynum, who filled in for the injured Miguel Tejada, had a homer and two RBI for the Orioles, who saw an end to their three-game winning streak.

"It was like a tale of two cities. Burres would go 0-2 on some guys and then go 3-0 on a couple of guys and he used too many pitches and looked like he wasn't in sync," Orioles interim manager Dave Trembley said. "We had bases loaded and no outs early and didn't get anything out of it. We had a couple other scoring opportunities but didn't take advantage of our chances."

Hernandez lasted only four-plus innings - matching his season low - and allowed four runs on nine hits while walking four. In the righthander's last three outings, he has surrendered 17 runs in 14 innings of work.

"I felt good today," Hernandez said. "I felt better then I have and I think I am getting closer to being back. "If I don't pitch well, the guys got my back. That is the game. If the guy (Bynum) doesn't hit that home run, trust me, I would have won."