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Davis strong in return as Diamondbacks roll

May 24, 2008 - 4:25 AM By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- After beating cancer into submission, Doug Davis did the same to the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

Davis was superb in his return from thyroid cancer and Chris Young led the charge offensively as the Arizona Diamondbacks powered their way past the Atlanta Braves with an 11-1 triumph.

Pitching for the first time since undergoing surgery on April 10 to remove a cancerous thyroid, Davis (2-1) limited the Braves to one run and five hits in seven innings. The 32-year-old lefthander, who had radiation iodine therapy in early May and has been assured by doctors that no cancer remains in his body, walked two and struck out four.

"It felt great," Davis said. "It was kind of hard to control the emotions at the start. It was exciting to be back and to throw your pitches and get out there."

It has been a trying season for Davis, who was diagnosed with cancer during spring training. But he did not let the prognosis stop him from doing what he loves most - throwing the baseball.

Two days prior to his surgery, the 10-year veteran hurled six inspired innings to lead his Diamondbacks to a 10-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The results on Friday could not have been any better, although beating the Braves - who had won 13 of their previous 14 home games - was nothing compared to his battle with the life-threatening disease.

"He came back right where he left off," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "He downplays it and calls himself a regular guy, but when he took the mound, he had to have goose bumps."

Davis made a rehab start on May 10 before completing his comeback on Friday - 43 days after the surgery.

"I said I wanted to be back on the mound by the 10th," Davis said. "I was back on the mound on the 10th, but in the minor leagues. ... I knew I made it back when I had my two rehab starts. It's good to be back on the major-league level."

Davis could not have asked for a better return. Despite allowing baserunners in five of his seven innings, Arizona's defense bailed him out, turning three double plays and making two stellar sliding catches in the outfield.

"You're talking about a life-threatening illness," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "To overcome that and be back on the field so early, we all in here tip our hats to him. It was a stellar performance."

Only one thing bothered Davis in his impressive storybook comeback.

"Just less walks," he said. "That's the only thing. I hate walks. One of them scored. Walks will kill you."

Arizona, which hit just .183 (33-for-180) over its previous six games, broke out of its slump with a vengeance. The Diamondbacks scored a season-high 11 runs, belted five homers and pounded out nine hits to give Davis plenty of breathing room.

"Five runs in the first inning - that says it all," said Davis, whose team was just swept of a three-game series in Florida. "They came out swinging the bat. They were selective on pitches. Five homers. It was fun to come back and win after a bad series in Miami."

The five-run outburst in the first off Atlanta starter Jo-Jo Reyes (2-2) helped Arizona put the game out of reach early. Stephen Drew began the offensive assault by launching his seventh homer of the season 396 feet into the right field stands.

Reyes followed with a strikeout but walked the next two batters. The lefthander's two-out wildness proved costly, however, as Chris Snyder followed with a two-run double to extend the lead to 3-0 before Eric Byrnes capped the frame with a two-run shot to left-center field.

Conor Jackson launched a solo blast in the fifth and Young, who also recorded an RBI single in the fourth inning, belted a two-run homer in the sixth for a 10-1 cushion.

Mark Reynolds added a solo shot in the eighth to cap the scoring.

Reyes allowed eight runs - seven earned - and six hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings.

"Jo-Jo didn't have control of three of his pitches tonight and got behind (in the count) with guys," said Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, who signed a one-year contract extension earlier in the day. "It's his first real bad outing. He'll learn."

Chipper Jones went 1-for-1 with a walk before being given the rest of the night off, raising his major league-leading average to .415 for the Braves, who had their five-game winning streak halted.