• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Haren sharp as Diamondbacks cruise past Rockies

Apr 13, 2008 - 3:56 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Dan Haren is proving to be a wise acquisition for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Haren pitched six excellent innings as the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks cruised past division rival Colorado Rockies, 10-3, on Saturday.

Chris Snyder, Chris Young and Mark Reynolds each hit RBI doubles and Justin Upton belted a game-breaking three-run homer for Arizona, which has won eight in a row.

"I don't even like to talk about the winning streak any more," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "We just seem to be scoring runs and doing it in bunches, getting homers, getting big hits, it is nice to see."

Haren (2-0), who was acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Oakland Athletics in an eight-player deal on December 14, yielded one run, five hits and two walks while striking out seven for his second straight outstanding outing.

"I felt good and again I got an early lead so I was able to attack the strike zone similar to last game'" Haren said. "When we do score runs early it makes it a lot easier on me."

The righthander, who went 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 34 starts for Oakland last season, also allowed just one earned run and six hits in six innings in a 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Monday.

The American League All-Star Game starter in 2007, Haren watched his ERA drop to 2.50 in three starts in 2008.

"That Haren guy was pretty good today," Melvin said. "A little bit different today was that he didn't have his best fastball or his best stuff. He got some leadoff guys on and had to battle a bit. But he has the repertoire to be able to do that and has a pretty good feel on how and what his stuff is on a particular day."

Haren's new teammates scored four runs in the first three innings to help give him all the cushion he needed.

"We are swinging the bats better than any one in the league. They are making it easy for our pitchers," Haren added. "Different guys are carrying us and the pitchers are keeping the runs down."

Conor Jackson had an RBI groundout in the first, Snyder and Young hit run-scoring doubles in the second and Stephen Drew added a sacrifice fly in the third, giving the Diamondbacks a 4-1 advantage.

Todd Helton had an RBI single in the top of the third for Colorado.

In the fifth, Upton hit a towering three-run shot over the center field wall off Franklin Morales to give the home team a 7-1 advantage.

"I am just playing ball, feeling comfortable at the plate, seeing the ball and hitting it," said Upton, who is hitting .415 in 2008. "I'm trying to see all the pitches and get in good position to hit."

The blast was Upton's second homer in as many games and fifth of the young season, tying him for the lead in that category.

"Justin is riding a wave of confidence and when you talk about what his upside is and what kind of player he is going to be down the road, you are getting a glimpse of it," Melvin said. "This guy is going to get better and better."

Morales (0-1) was tagged for seven runs, seven hits and four walks in four innings for Colorado, which has lost all five games to the Diamondbacks in 2008.

"They are playing well and we are not," Helton said. "That is not a good combination. They are swinging the bats real good."

Orlando Hudson and Upton wrapped sacrifice flies around Reynolds' run-scoring double in the sixth to make it 10-1 for the Diamondbacks, who have outscored the Rockies, 38-8, in the five victories. Reynolds' RBI gave him a major league-leading 15 for the season.