ducks
06-27-2010, 11:53 PM
By John Barone / MLB.com
The next time a Major League team complains about its schedule, it should take a look at the 33-game stretch the Arizona Diamondbacks will conclude this week.
Relatively, little could be more brutal. In fact, calling it brutal might be an understatement.
Monday night's game against the Cardinals kicks off the last of 11 consecutive series in which the D-backs have faced a team sporting a record of .500 or better.
Arizona is 8-22 through the first 30 games of its daunting challenge, and the task of improving that mark Monday lies at the feet of Dan Haren, who will oppose fellow All-Star right-hander Chris Carpenter in a marquee pitching matchup at Busch Stadium.
Haren, whose 109 strikeouts rank third in the National League, deserved a better fate in Tuesday's 9-3 loss at New York, where he limited the Yankees to three runs on six hits with eight punchouts in seven innings.
"I do all I can," Haren said. "Baseball is a team sport. It's not like golf or something like that. Every guy on the roster needs to contribute."
Carpenter, on the other hand, claimed a well-deserved 1-0 victory Wednesday in Toronto, surrendering three hits over eight shutout innings.
"When you've got Carp, you've got a chance," left fielder Matt Holliday said. "You just keep trying to scratch out a couple of runs, because when he's pitching well, they're not going to get much."
Diamondbacks: Rough life on the road
The D-backs have lost 16 of their past 19 road games. ... Right fielder Justin Upton has hit safely in 12 of his past 15 contests, batting .386 (22-for-57) with four home runs and nine RBIs during that stretch. ... With Sunday's win, Arizona became the second-fastest expansion-era team since 1961 to record 1,000 victories.
Cardinals: Rasmus playing long ball
Center fielder Colby Rasmus has hit nine home runs in June, a single-month career high. ... St. Louis is 28-6 when it scores first. ... The Cardinals lead the Majors with 37 intentional walks, 21 of which belong to first baseman Albert Pujols.
Worth noting
Haren has defeated the Cardinals twice in 2010. He is 4-0 with a 3.72 ERA in four career outings against St. Louis. ... Carpenter has not received a decision in two starts vs. the D-backs this season. He is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in 11 lifetime appearances opposite Arizona.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_06_28_arimlb_slnmlb_1&mode=preview
The next time a Major League team complains about its schedule, it should take a look at the 33-game stretch the Arizona Diamondbacks will conclude this week.
Relatively, little could be more brutal. In fact, calling it brutal might be an understatement.
Monday night's game against the Cardinals kicks off the last of 11 consecutive series in which the D-backs have faced a team sporting a record of .500 or better.
Arizona is 8-22 through the first 30 games of its daunting challenge, and the task of improving that mark Monday lies at the feet of Dan Haren, who will oppose fellow All-Star right-hander Chris Carpenter in a marquee pitching matchup at Busch Stadium.
Haren, whose 109 strikeouts rank third in the National League, deserved a better fate in Tuesday's 9-3 loss at New York, where he limited the Yankees to three runs on six hits with eight punchouts in seven innings.
"I do all I can," Haren said. "Baseball is a team sport. It's not like golf or something like that. Every guy on the roster needs to contribute."
Carpenter, on the other hand, claimed a well-deserved 1-0 victory Wednesday in Toronto, surrendering three hits over eight shutout innings.
"When you've got Carp, you've got a chance," left fielder Matt Holliday said. "You just keep trying to scratch out a couple of runs, because when he's pitching well, they're not going to get much."
Diamondbacks: Rough life on the road
The D-backs have lost 16 of their past 19 road games. ... Right fielder Justin Upton has hit safely in 12 of his past 15 contests, batting .386 (22-for-57) with four home runs and nine RBIs during that stretch. ... With Sunday's win, Arizona became the second-fastest expansion-era team since 1961 to record 1,000 victories.
Cardinals: Rasmus playing long ball
Center fielder Colby Rasmus has hit nine home runs in June, a single-month career high. ... St. Louis is 28-6 when it scores first. ... The Cardinals lead the Majors with 37 intentional walks, 21 of which belong to first baseman Albert Pujols.
Worth noting
Haren has defeated the Cardinals twice in 2010. He is 4-0 with a 3.72 ERA in four career outings against St. Louis. ... Carpenter has not received a decision in two starts vs. the D-backs this season. He is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in 11 lifetime appearances opposite Arizona.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_06_28_arimlb_slnmlb_1&mode=preview