The Diamondbacks can expect to meet some resistance on this seasonlong 11-game road trip, from tough opponents, imposing environments and demonstrators, who are expected to use the visiting team's home-state politics for street protests here Wednesday and in Chicago on Thursday. As for the first two obstacles, they posed little challenge for Diamondbacks right-hander Dan Haren on Monday. Looking more like his usual first-half self, Haren pitched eight strong innings and Chad Qualls escaped a harrowing ninth-inning predicament as the Diamondbacks topped the Colorado Rockies , 5-3, at Coors Field. And just like that, a team that seemed to be in five-alarm panic mode is just a win from the .500 mark after victories in three of its past four games against playoff teams from last year. "We've got to beat everybody," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said. "We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves as far as who we're playing. We feel like we can play with anybody." Coming off a start against St. Louis in which he allowed seven runs, Haren had a somewhat rocky first inning. After Adam LaRoche gave the Diamondbacks a lead with a three-run home run in the first inning, Haren gave up a solo home run to Rockies leadoff man Carlos Gonzalez and a couple of more hard-hit balls before escaping the inning. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/dia...426arizona-diamondbacks-colorado-rockies.html
