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Byrnes' four hits lifts Diamondbacks over Devil Rays

Jun 21, 2007 - 12:18 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Eric Byrnes helped the Arizona Diamondbacks win for the fifth time in their last six contests.

Byrnes had four hits - including a three-run homer - and rookie Micah Owings pitched solidly into the sixth inning as the Diamondbacks recorded a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the finale of a three-game interleague series on Wednesday.

Byrnes blasted a 2-1 offering by Devil Rays starter James Shields (6-2) over the center field wall to give the Diamondbacks a 6-0 advantage in the fourth inning.

"I felt every time there is an important at-bat that can help us, we ended up winning that game," Byrnes said. "It was nice."

The 31-year-old Byrnes added a double and two singles, recording his first four-hit performance since September 23, 2006. Byrnes tied a franchise record by getting a hit in seven consecutive at-bats, after singling in his final three at-bats of a 10-8 triumph over Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

"If I knew eight (hits) would have been a club record, I would have gone for that," Byrnes said. "I just hit a little groove."

Owings (5-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs and eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth to record his 23rd save of the season and 74th in his career with Arizona, which ties him with Matt Mantei for the most in franchise history.

"This guy has had to work pretty hard at it. It's not like it came real easy," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "He's had some injuries to deal with, he's been taken out of the role several times, even sent down to the minor leagues last year."

The Diamondbacks started the scoring when Chad Tracy hit a three-run homer in the third inning.

Shields gave up six runs and 10 hits with four strikeouts over five innings.

"I don't know if he got into the rhythm that he was looking for," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It came down to two pitches that made it a bad day for him."

The Devil Rays cut the deficit in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Carlos Pena. Later in the inning, Carl Crawford plated Raul Casanova with an infield single and rookie Akinori Iwamura hit an RBI triple to deep right to close the gap to 6-4.