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Reynolds' huge game sparks Diamondbacks offense in rout

May 26, 2007 - 7:08 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- After struggling to score runs in the first half of their six-game homestand, the Arizona Diamondbacks are finding the Houston Astros' pitching staff much more to their liking.

Rookie Mark Reynolds blasted two homers and tallied five hits as the Diamondbacks coasted to a 13-3 victory over the Astros.

After scoring just seven runs over three games against the Colorado Rockies in three home games to start the homestand, Arizona, the major league's sixth-lowest offense entering Friday, has crossed the plate 22 times in the first two games of this series.

The 22 runs represent a season high for scoring in a series for the Diamondbacks even though they are only halfway through their four-game set with the Astros.

Reynolds, who finished a double short of the cycle, singled in the second before hitting a run-scoring single in the fourth to ignite a four-run frame for the Diamondbacks off Houston starter Woody Williams (1-7).

"During that last at-bat I was trying to hit a double," Reynolds said. "This has been unbelievable. It has been a great ride. All the chips fell into place to get here and I have always heard that if you ever get your shot, you have to take advantage of it because it could only happen once. I am trying to stay on an even keel and not get too high or too low."

The 23-year-old, who finished with five RBI, struck twice more in the sixth, leading off the inning with a triple and capping the scoring in the eight-run frame with a two-run blast off Astros reliever Rick White. The eight-hit, eight-run inning tied club records.

"I had a breakout year last year in the minors," Reynolds said. "I have had nights like this before but this is on a different stage (with) different pitching. I don't know what is going on. Tonight was one of those nights that (everything) just comes together.

White allowed seven runs in just 1/3 of an inning.

"It was the worse outing I had in a couple of years," White said. "I just couldn't get anyone out, point blank."

The rookie finished his incredible night with a solo shot off reliever Dave Borkowski in the eighth. Reynolds' 5-for-5 night marked the seventh time in franchise history that a Diamondback hitter has accomplished that feat.

"He is just going about his business," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "I don't think he knows where he is hitting in the lineup (but) he just goes up there and gets a hit every time.

"He has been unbelievable offensively. He has been just as good defensively. The kid has power to all fields and watching him taking batting practice, I have never seen anything like it. It reminds me of (Mark) McGwire when he was hitting balls in the bleaches and out of buildings."

Carlos Quentin had three RBI and Eric Byrnes added a two-run triple for Arizona, which set a new season high with 13 runs and tied their best mark of the campaign with 17 hits.

"Good at-bats across the board, Melvin said. "We started swinging the bats a lot better. We are getting hits with men in scoring position. The fourth inning was good for us and in the sixth; we haven't seen an inning like that this year."

Arizona starter Edgar Gonzalez (2-2) filled in admirably for five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, who sat out with tendinitis in his forearm. The righthander allowed one run and four hits with four strikeouts over five frames, winning for the first time since his first start on April 5.

"In the first inning they hit a couple of bloopers but after that I felt better," Gonzalez said. "They gave me a chance to start again and I am happy I was able to do the job. It is hard to go from the bullpen and start because I had not done it in a while but I was able to do the job."

Williams surrendered four runs and five hits over five innings. With the loss, the righthander has lost more games through two months than he has in either one of the last two seasons.

"We all stink," Williams said. "It is not going our way right now. We are not pitching the way we are capable, we are not fielding the way we can and we are not hitting the way we can."

Rookie sensation Hunter Pence had two hits and drove in two runs for Houston, which has been outscored, 53-8, during its six-game losing streak.

"It certainly was their night," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "Everything we threw they made great pitch selections especially in the fourth, they hit balls that found holes. Later in the game, they hit everything hard. We got beat up tonight. I am not going to give Knute Rockne speeches. We have to bounce back. Good teams bounce back form tough games and tough weeks. We had both."