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Byrnes, Clark help Diamondbacks splurge on runs, defeat Rockies

Sep 2, 2007 - 6:26 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks used the big bats of Eric Byrnes and Tony Clark to stay on top.

Byrnes had three hits and three RBI and Clark homered and drove in five runs as the Diamondbacks posted a 13-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

Chris Young and Jeff Salazar also had two RBI apiece for Arizona, which put the game away by scoring 12 runs in the first three innings. The 13 runs also tied a season high.

"It was good to come back after a tough loss last night and to put together some solid at-bats from the get go," Clark said. "Runs have been a premium for us so any time you can put together some solid atbats and push across some runs you are going to be happy that you did."

The Diamondbacks (76-61) also remained in a virtual tie for first place in the National League West with the San Diego Padres (75-60), who defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-0, on Saturday.

"We added on and kept adding on," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "After it was 8-5 there is not question that adding on was big for us."

Byrnes drove in a run in each of the first three innings while Clark did his damage in the second and third.

Edgar Gonzalez (7-2) hurled 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for his fifth consecutive victory. The righthander allowed two hits and a walk while striking out two.

Byrnes started the outburst in the first when his double off Rockies starter Elmer Dessens plated Orlando Hudson from second to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.

The Diamondbacks continued their assault on Dessens (2-2) an inning later.

After allowing a walk to Chris Snyder and a single to Mark Reynolds to lead off the second, Dessens gave up a two-run double to Salazar to increase the lead to three. An RBI double by Young and a run-scoring single by Byrnes made it 5-0, knocking the former Diamondback out of the game.

"The efforts there, there just wasn't any location to go with it," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "It is not like he is not trying. He just didn't make pitches. They hit the strikes, didn't swing at the balls and squared everything up that was over the plate."

Dessens, who was tagged for seven runs, six hits and two walks, was replaced by Ramon Ortiz, who promptly surrendered a 420-foot blast by Clark over the center field wall to give Arizona an 8-0 advantage.

Leading by three after the Rockies knocked out Diamondbacks starter Dana Eveland with five runs in the top of the third, Arizona made the game a laugher in the bottom of the frame.

Young started the run with an RBI single, followed by a run-scoring base hit by Byrnes off reliever Jorge Julio to double the lead. Later in the inning, Clark ripped a two-run single to right increasing the lead to seven. It was the fifth RBI of the game for the veteran first baseman, tying his personal high.

Stephen Drew belted a two-out solo homer in the eighth off Matt Herges to finish the scoring.

Eveland, who was making his third appearance and first start this season, was rocked for five runs, five hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

"I screwed up really bad not pitching my game," Eveland said. "I really didn't think about my approach. I didn't throw a single slider out there which is my second best pitch. To go out there and not execute at all I am pretty disappointed in myself."

Troy Tulowitzki knocked in two runs and Willy Tavares, Matt Holliday and Garret Atkins each drove in one for Colorado, which had won five of seven.

"We got back in the game with those five runs but when they threw up those runs it made it difficult to get back in the game," Tulowizki said. "They did a good job swing the bats and their pitching did enough."