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Diamondbacks-Padres Preview

Jun 7, 2009 - 6:38 AM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

Arizona (24-32) at San Diego (26-29), 4:05 p.m. EDT

Dan Haren is certainly a better pitcher than his record indicates, but without some help from the Arizona Diamondbacks beleaguered bullpen he could be hovering around .500 this season.

One day after their relief corps imploded, the visiting Diamondbacks look to bounce back on Sunday when they continue a four-game set with the San Diego Padres.

Arizona (24-32) got a decent outing from Max Scherzer on Saturday as the rookie allowed three hits, walked five, struck out six in five innings before leaving with a 2-0 lead. Leo Rosales and Daniel Schlereth then combined to face eight batters - and gave up six runs, three hits, walked two and hit a batter with the bases loaded in only two-thirds of an inning.

"We were in position to get outs, but gave them way too many bases for free," said rookie manager A.J. Hinch after Arizona's 6-4 loss dropped him to 12-15 since taking over for the fired Bob Melvin on May 8. The team held a meeting after the game, but Hinch refused further comment about it.

Under Hinch, Arizona relievers have posted a 4.88 ERA. They had a 5.00 ERA when Melvin was at the helm.

The Padres (26-29) had posted 15 straight scoreless innings before Saturday's outburst. Tony Gwynn Jr. finished with a career-high three walks, a single, double, stolen base and scored the go-ahead run.

That snapped a four-game slide. The Padres are 3-7 following a season-high 10-game winning streak from May 15-25.

Next, they will face Haren, who has assumed the role of Arizona's ace with 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb still on the disabled list (right shoulder bursitis) and not expected to rejoin the club until around the All-Star break.

After winning a career-best 16 games last year, Haren has settled down following a rocky beginning to 2009.

The right-hander lost his first three starts despite allowing only four runs in 19 innings. In eight outings after that, he's gone 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and has pitched at least seven innings seven times.

Haren (4-4, 2.42) has performed well recently, but he's not gotten much relief support at all this year. Diamondbacks relievers have yielded 12 runs over 21 1-3 innings for a 5.06 ERA in Haren's 11 starts.

On Tuesday, he exited after seven innings with a two-run lead having limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to a run and two hits. Tony Pena and Schlereth then gave up five eighth-inning runs, sending the Diamondbacks to a 5-3 loss.

"If we come out ... feeling sorry for ourselves then we dig ourselves an even bigger hole," Haren told the Diamondbacks' official Web site. "It's over and it's done with and move onto the next day."

Haren didn't get a decision against San Diego on May 7 after surrendering three runs and eight hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss in 10. In eight career starts against the Padres, he's 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA.

Josh Geer (1-1, 5.04) will be making his first career appearance against Arizona.

After earning his first win of the season on May 23, the right-hander has made two appearances with one start. He's given up eight runs and eight hits over the last 7 2-3 innings.

Stephen Drew had an RBI single in the first inning and is hitting .317 (13 for 41) in a 10-game hitting streak. That's raised the Arizona shortstop's batting average 42 points to .232.