GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: SAN FRANCISCO (67-84) at ARIZONA (85-67)

Snyder helps Diamondbacks maintain NL West lead

<h3>ARIZONA 6, SAN FRANCISCO 4</h3>By Bob Huhn
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Chris Snyder had three hits and three RBI andConor Jackson added a solo homer as the Arizona Diamondbacksdefeated the San Francisco Giants, 6-4, to take the rubber matchof the three-game series Wednesday.


Rookie Mark Reynolds also had two hits and knocked in two runsfor Arizona (86-67), which maintained its one-game advantage inthe National League West Division over San Diego (84-67). ThePadres defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

Snyder hit a two-run double to left field in the fifth inning togive the Diamondbacks a 5-4 lead.


The first three batters of the inning all reached. AfterJackson led off the frame with a walk, Reynolds smacked a basehit into left-center field and rookie Chris Young reached on aninfield single, setting the stage for Snyder to end Giantsstarter Barry Zito's night.


Snyder, who is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, is5-for-7 lifetime against Zito (9-13).


"They put a couple across and we would answer right back. Thatwas the case the whole game," Snyder said. "When you get acouple of knocks off a guy, you feel comfortable stepping in thebox against him. The more times you face a guy, you know whathe is going to do in certain situations."


Juan Cruz (6-1) struck out the only batter he faced in the fifthinning to pick up the win. Bob Wickman, Tony Pena and BrandonLyon each hurled a scoreless inning before Jose Valverde workedaround two hits in the ninth to register his majorleague-leading 46th save.


"The bullpen came up big," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said."Cruz got out of a big inning, everybody. The bullpen pickedus up and the offense kept battling. Guys are really showing upand grinding the whole game."


"I think they have been the surprise bullpen in the majorleagues," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We got them thefirst game, but they have been consistent, which is a hugereason they're where they are at."


Trailing, 2-1, the Diamondbacks took advantage of Zito'sinability to find the plate in the third inning.


Eric Byrnes led off the frame with a single to center and rookieJustin Upton followed with a double to left. Reynolds knockedin the first run of the inning with an infield single.

Zito walked Young to load the bases, then followed with anotherwalk to Snyder to plate Upton and give Arizona a 3-2 edge.

San Francisco regained the lead in the fifth on an RBI double toleft by Kevin Frandsen and a run-scoring single by Randy Winn,who belted a two-run homer in the first inning.


For the third straight outing, Arizona starter Doug Davis failedto make it past the fifth inning, allowing four runs and ninehits with a walk and six strikeouts in just 4 2/3 frames.

"It was a poor outing," Davis said. "I was effectively wild inthe first inning and when I missed my spot, they crushed it. Thecommon theme in the past few games is, I have not been hittingmy spots and been falling behind guys."


Zito, who has not won since August 17, entered the contest witha 2-2 record and 1.55 ERA in four career starts against theDiamondbacks. He lasted just four-plus innings, allowing fiveruns, nine hits and four walks.


"I didn't have much out there tonight," Zito said. "Instead ofbeing loose out there, I was trying to be too fine."

The Diamondbacks picked up an insurance run in the seventh, whenReynolds doubled in Upton to extend the advantage to 6-4.

The Giants, who have lost seven of their last nine games, stillwere without Barry Bonds. The home run king missed his thirdstraight game with a sprained big toe on his right foot.