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RHP Gonzalez gets the call as Diamondbacks face Orioles

Jun 16, 2007 - 1:08 PM Arizona (38-30) at Baltimore (29-38) 7:05 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) - Edgar Gonzalez will again be called upon in the absence of Randy Johnson.

Gonzalez takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday when they face the struggling Baltimore Orioles.

Gonzalez (2-2, 4.73 ERA) learned on Friday that he would start against the Orioles because Johnson was heading back to the disabled list with lower back tightness.

The 24-year-old righthander should be used to this by now. Gonzalez filled in for Johnson at the start of the season when the 43-year-old was recovering from back surgery. He also filled in last month when Johnson missed a start with forearm tightness.

In six starts this season, Gonzalez is 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA. He's made five appearances out of the bullpen as well.

Like Gonzalez, Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera (5-7, 5.16 ERA) didn't expect to be starting this game. Scheduled starter Brian Burres complained of shoulder soreness on Friday, prompting the team to flip-flop the starters. Burres will start on Sunday instead of Cabrera.

Orlando Hudson's pinch-hit three-run home run in the eighth inning lifted the Diamondbacks past the Orioles, 7-3, in the series opener here on Friday. Chris Snyder also homered for Arizona, who erased a 3-0 deficit with five in the eighth.

Aubrey Huff finished with three hits and an RBI for the Orioles. He has a 10-game hitting streak and is batting .474 (18-for-38) during that span.

Baltimore has lost six straight and 11 of its last 12 games.