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Pirates-Diamondbacks Preview

Jul 25, 2009 - 6:54 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (43-53) at Arizona (41-56), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Thanks to Garrett Jones, the Pittsburgh Pirates haven't missed a beat offensively after trading away their leading home run hitter.

With Jones leading a renewed attack, the Pirates search for their sixth win since the All-Star break as they continue a four-game set against the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old outfielder was playing in his third minor league system since Atlanta drafted him in 1999 when the Pirates called him up from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 1.

Since then, Jones has been the majors' best home run hitter.

His two-run shot in Friday night's 10-3 win over the Diamondbacks marked his eighth homer since July 10, and 10th overall in 19 games.

By going deep in the fifth inning, he also recorded his third straight multihit game and 17 of his 26 hits have gone for extra bases. Jones, who hit .208 in 31 games for Minnesota in 2007, is also batting a team-best .342 and has driven in 15 runs.

"All hitters kind of get in that zone where you feel good," he said. "I'm not saying I'm there, but I'm seeing the ball well, as well as I have my whole career. I'm just trying to slow everything down. It feels good to be able to start like this."

The Pirates (43-53) seemed to pack it in for another season after trading away Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan and Eric Hinske last month before dealing Adam LaRoche, who had a team-leading 12 homers, to Boston on Wednesday.

Jones' play has led the Pirates to a 5-3 mark since the break, and they've hit a major league-leading 18 homers since July 10.

Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf (8-7, 4.59 ERA) will look to benefit again from the resurgent offense as he tries to earn back-to-back wins for the third time this season.

Ohlendorf, who has never faced Arizona, has been given 11 runs in his past two starts and earned his first win this month Sunday against Milwaukee, allowing two runs over five innings in an 8-5 victory.

Ohlendorf, however, will face an Arizona team that's also proved effective at the plate despite dropping six of nine.

The Diamondbacks (41-56), hitting .249, have recorded 10 or more hits in five of their last seven games, including 11 on Friday.

Miguel Montero had two hits and an RBI, adding to a hot streak that started soon after he replaced an injured Chris Snyder as the starting catcher. Since June 27, he has batted .400 (32 for 80) with six homers and 17 RBIs.

Mark Reynolds is 14 for 30 (.467) during an eight-game hit streak to start the second half, and Stephen Drew has hit .462 (12 for 26) in the past six contests.

Arizona's hitters, however, have given veteran left-hander Doug Davis (4-10, 3.95) the third-worst run support in the NL at 3.35 runs per game.

Davis, who is trying to avoid becoming the majors' second 11-game loser, has also not helped himself lately, posting an 18.47 ERA in consecutive defeats while failing to pitch past the fourth inning.

In Sunday's 10-6 loss in Colorado, he lasted a season-low 2 1-3 innings while giving up a season-high eight runs.

"It wasn't fun," he said. "I can put it that way."

Davis allowed five runs over 3 2-3 innings last season in Pittsburgh and is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA in the past two meetings. His previous win over the Pirates, however, was in his only career matchup with them at Chase Field in 2007.