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Byrnes' slam leads D-Backs over Braves

May 25, 2008 - 10:51 PM By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Eric Byrnes snapped out of a month-long slump in grand style.

Byrnes hit his first career grand slam and Chris Young also homered to power the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

Micah Owings (6-2) allowed three runs in six-plus innings and Orlando Hudson smacked three doubles for the Diamondbacks, who improved to 12-0 when hitting two or more homers in a game.

"I went 100 homers without hitting (a grand slam)," Byrnes said. "(I hit one on homer) 101. Go figure. (Braves starter Tom Glavine) left it over the plate and I was able to run into it."

Owings, who struck out four and walked two, retired the last nine batters he faced before issuing a free pass to Omar Infante to start the seventh. Owings was in line for the win because Byrnes came up with a rare clutch hit.

Things have not been easy for the 32-year-old Byrnes. The outfielder, who smacked a career-high 26 homers last season, was having a miserable May, batting .139 (10-for-72) with two homers and four RBI entering Sunday's matinee contest at Turner Field.

In Byrnes' first two at-bats, it looked as if the misery would continue. He ended two Arizona rallies by leaving two runners on in the first and popping out with the bases loaded in the third.

However, the third time was the charm for the struggling Byrnes. After Glavine (2-2) loaded the bases on a double and two walks, Byrnes smacked a 2-2 changeup just over the left field wall for his first grand slam of his nine-year career.

"I left two guys on in my first at-bat and three in the second," Byrnes said. "I left a small army on base. Sitting (at) 1-2, hitting .212, it's a situation where you have to keep plugging away."

"It's great, especially when he came up a few times with runners in scoring position and didn't get it done the first two times," Young said. "It says a lot about him. He doesn't give up. He kept on making an adjustment and he did."

The homer was special to Byrnes, who is nursing injuries to both hamstrings and is spending more time on the trainer's table than on the field.

"Six hours before the game, I'm getting treatment," Byrnes said. "I'm doing my best to stay on the field. That's what makes today rewarding. To be able to go out there and produce and contribute to the team winning, that's what it's all about."

It was only the second time in 368 at-bats that future Hall of Famer Glavine had allowed a grand slam.

Jose Vidro of the Montreal Expos smacked the only other grand slam against Glavine, on September 19, 2003 at Shea Stadium while the lefthander was with the New York Mets.

Glavine allowed six runs and five hits, walked six and struck out two in 4 2/3 shaky frames for Atlanta, which lost for the first time in 10 day games at Turner Field.

"I'm happy with how I threw," Glavine said. "Not with the result. I felt pretty good. I was comfortable where I was trying to throw the ball and what I was trying to do. For one reason or other, it didn't work out."

The six walks allowed were the most by Glavine since May 2, 2005 at Philadelphia.

Glavine had a long talk with home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom about the strike zone after the top of the second inning.

"It doesn't matter what I think," Glavine said.

Young greeted the lefthander by blasting his second leadoff homer of the season - and 11th career - on the second pitch of the afternoon before Glavine loaded the bases.

The blast bounced off the top of the left field wall into the stands.

"I thought it had no chance," Young admitted. "I thought it was going to be a routine fly ball, I'm not going to lie. I didn't get it good. I'm not going to say that I did when I didn't. I thought I was out."

Chris Snyder lofted a sacrifice fly to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead.

Atlanta answered right back, smacking four straight singles to halve the deficit in the second before Owings issued a free pass to Yunel Escobar to tie the contest at 2-2. The Braves took a 3-2 lead when Jeff Francoeur scored on right fielder Justin Upton's fielding error.

The Braves were without third baseman Chipper Jones, who leads the majors with a .417 average, due to back spasms. He is listed as day-to-day.