D-Backs Notebook: Micah the magnificent

Owings pulls D-Backs out of their tailspin

On a rainy afternoon in Pittsburgh yesterday, the Arizona Diamondbacks turned to an unlikely source to stop the bleeding from their recent three-game losing streak.

Micah Owings put on an awe-inspiring display, tossing 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball and hammering three doubles to drive in three runs in the Diamondbacks’ 8-0 win.

Arizona’s ace, Brandon Webb, was scheduled to start yesterday, but the threat of a rain delay drove manager Bob Melvin to scratch Webb so he wouldn’t have to deal with any unexpected delays that could possibly result in injury for the defending Cy Young winner.

Owings was unceremoniously dropped from the starting rotation last week, but responded in fine form on short notice.

He baffled the Pirates’ batters throughout the contest, a feat Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis were unable to match during their starts in Pittsburgh.

Owings allowed four hits, struck out four and walked none. In his previous start, he beat San Francisco 5-0 on Sept. 18 with a two-hit shutout, giving him a scoreless innings streak of 15 1/3.

Perhaps this performance will give Melvin no choice but to put Owings back into the starting rotation.

However, when Owings is bad—as he was in his first two starts in September—he’s really bad. But he has more upside on the mound than any Arizona starter other than Webb.

Yesterday’s performance was no fluke, either. He pulled off a similar feat against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 18, pitching seven solid innings and cranking two home runs.

On the season, Owings is hitting .339 with 11 extra-base hits and 15 RBIs in 59 at-bats. If he was able to hit at that rate for an entire season, he’d easily be Arizona’s most productive batter.

The rest of Arizona’s bats also awoke from their slumber, driving Pirates’ starter John Van Benschoten from the game in the second inning.

Owings led the offensive charge with his 4-4 performance at the plate, but Stephen Drew also had a stellar day in the batter’s box.

The young shortstop went 3-5, including a first-inning home run to kick-start the Arizona offensive explosion.

However, D-backs fans must keep yesterday’s offensive performance in perspective. Van Benschoten (0-7, 10.15 ERA) might be the worst starting pitcher in the National League.

But at this point in the season, with the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies breathing down Arizona’s necks, yesterday’s big win over Pittsburgh might be the momentum swing this team needs heading into the season-defining three-game set in Colorado.

The Rockies have been the best team in baseball this month, ripping off an 11-game winning streak to bring them within striking distance of the Padres for the NL Wild Card spot, and even the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead.

Webb will face off against Colorado ace Jeff Francis in tonight’s opener.

At 89-70, the D-backs have already exceeded any reasonable expectation they might’ve had for the 2007 season.

If they can sweep Colorado, they will finish with the best record in the National League, but if they drop all three to the red-hot Rockies, they will be in danger of missing the playoffs.

Perhaps Melvin can look to Owings as a pinch hitter if Arizona’s offense starts to sputter in the Rocky Mountains.

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