D-backs figure out new ways to win

PHOENIX—The Arizona Diamondbacks’ .248 batting average is the worst in the National League.

They’ve been outscored by 21 runs across the season.

So how are they leading the NL West with nine games to go in the regular season?

Don’t ask manager Bob Melvin.

“Sometimes I struggle to try to come up with a reason that our record is the way it is right now,” Melvin said this week.

He paused and added, “It’s significant contributions from the entire group.”

A stalwart bullpen, led by closer Jose Valverde, has been invaluable. But the Diamondbacks have built the NL’s best record—86-67 through Wednesday—by cobbling together an odd combination of veterans, touted prospects and minor league call-ups.

Arizona took Thursday off before opening its final home series of the season on Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks led San Diego by one game in the NL West heading into Thursday. No one is quite sure how they’ve stayed ahead of the pack in a tightly contested division.

“I don’t know if I have the right answer,” pitcher Micah Owings said. “I don’t know if there is a right answer.”

The stat sheet often can provide answers to baseball questions. But it supplies few clues to the Diamondbacks’ run toward their first postseason berth since 2002.

Consider:

Journeyman reliever Juan Cruz has more wins than Randy Johnson, a future Hall of Famer. Cruz picked up his sixth victory on Wednesday night against San Francisco. Johnson won four games before undergoing season-ending back surgery.

No one will drive in 100 runs or win 20 games.

The Diamondbacks have used five different leadoff men and eight different clean-up batters. Mark Reynolds, who has seen the most duty in the No. 4 spot, began the season at Double-A Mobile.

All-Star second baseman Orlando Hudson chuckles when he hears people talk about how the Diamondbacks’ success doesn’t make sense.

“One thing: it’s a different person every night,” said Hudson, who recently had season-ending surgery on his thumb.

Few Diamondbacks fans could have identified Reynolds in a police line-up in April. But he had a magical May, hitting .426 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 15 games.

Catcher Chris Snyder, who was hitting .219 at the All-Star break, had eight straight hits with runners in scoring position during one stretch.

Outfielder Jeff Salazar, acquired on waivers during spring training, leaped above the right field wall to rob San Diego’s Brian Giles of a homer July 13. It was Salazar’s fourth start after being promoted from Triple-A Tucson.

Right-hander Edgar Gonzalez has gone 8-2 despite bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen.

Taken separately, none of these contributions would amount to much. Add them up and you’ve got a glimpse into the 2007 Diamondbacks.

“I think they’re a great story,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “I think they’re the story of baseball, the surprise team in our sport this year.”