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Davis impressive, Reynolds continues hot start as D'Backs roll

Apr 9, 2008 - 7:01 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Compared to what Doug Davis is going to go through shortly, baseball is a breeze.

Davis threw six effective innings in his last start before thyroid cancer surgery, and Mark Reynolds continued his homer binge as the Arizona Diamondbacks posted a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Davis (1-1), who will have surgery on Thursday and be out a month, found out he had a cancerous tumor in his throat during a routine physical on February 6.

"Pretty heroic really," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "I think he was a little more emotional and more focused than he usually is. He really wanted to win the game bad, he knew it was going to be the last one for a while for him and he wanted to get the win. Pretty impressive."

The lefthander made the most of his last start before an unwanted vacation. Davis allowed just two runs and six hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He also drove in a run with a single in the third.

He left to a standing ovation, and came out for a curtain call as the cheering continued.

"I just felt like I wanted to go out there and do well since I will have some time off," Davis said. "It was definitely emotional coming off the field for sure.

"The doctors said I could start for three months if I wanted to because the cancer wasn't spreading much. It worked out that I could get two starts in before I had the surgery."

Davis said he has gotten tons of support from fans.

"I have received a lot of cards and letters and experiences from thyroid cancer," he said. "I even got a card from a 94-year-old woman who survived it and is healthy as ever. There has been a lot of positive feedback."

Reynolds and company staked Davis to an early lead by rocking Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (0-1) for five runs in the first three innings.

Arizona took a quick 3-0 lead as Reynolds smashed a three-run shot - his fifth in as many games. Orlando Hudson kept the inning alive with a two-out double to center, and Billingsley hit Conor Jackson. Reynolds then drilled a 3-2 pitch to center for a 3-0 lead.

"I'm seeing the ball good right now, hot hitting doesn't usually last too long in baseball, so I want to take advantage of it while it's happening," Reynolds said. "I am just going to keep swinging and trying to do my thing."

"To get off to a start like that and get some runs early, with the momentum we have had in past days, it's fitting that Mark Reynolds was the guy to give us the momentum right away,"

Melvin said. The Diamondbacks stretched the lead to 5-0 in the third as Justin Upton drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Davis singled in a run. That spelled the end of the night for Billingsley, who allowed five runs - four earned - and five hits in just 2 1/3 innings.

"It was a bad night," Billingsley said. "I didn't have anything. I obviously struggled with my command and it was just one of those days that nothing was there."

Trailing, 5-2, the Dodgers threatened against Arizona's bullpen in the seventh. Rafael Furcal drew a two-out walk and Matt Kemp singled to chase Juan Cruz from the game. Doug Slaten came in and got Andre Either to fly out to the right field warning track.

Jackson then broke open the game with a three-run triple to left in the seventh.

"Again, we had to fight uphill," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "The last couple of days every time we cut the margin, they extended it. After a couple of bad days, we have to bounce back and get back on track."

Jeff Kent and Blake DeWitt each drove in a pair of runs for the Dodgers.