Tue Apr 8 01:28:35 2008

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D'Backs win home opener by drilling Dodgers

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Mark Reynolds hit a pair of home runs, as Arizona won its home opener with a 9-3 pounding of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chris Young and Orlando Hudson also homered for the Diamondbacks, who have won four in a row. Hudson, Young, and Eric Byrnes all had two hits apiece, while Justin Upton went 3-for-4 with a double.

"We just have a bunch of young hitters and we are all feeling really good right now," Reynolds said. "Everyone is hitting the ball well and squaring up, so they are gonna go."

Dan Haren (1-0) was solid in his Chase Field debut and got his first win in an Arizona uniform, allowing three runs -- one earned -- on six hits in six innings, while striking out five.

Jeff Kent went 2-for-4 with a solo shot, and Andre Ethier picked up a pair of hits, including a double, for the Dodgers, who have lost two of three.

Esteban Loaiza (0-2), who took a loss in relief earlier this season, made his first start of 2008. He was 1-4 with an 8.34 ERA in five starts with Los Angeles last year, and has still never beaten Arizona in his career.

Loaiza's record fell to 0-5 against the Diamondbacks, after giving up four runs on four hits in four innings, while striking out two and walking one.

The Dodgers, who were down by four runs after the first inning, plated a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a close game. Rafael Furcal started the inning with a single, Russell Martin followed with the same result. But Furcal scored on Upton's throwing error, with Martin advancing to third.

Martin later scored on Kent's single, bringing Los Angeles within 4-3.

But Arizona shut the door from there, scoring five runs in three innings. Reynolds hit a solo shot in the sixth, and Young led off the seventh with a homer of his own off Scott Proctor, who continued to have a rocky inning.

"I am just taking what the pitcher gives me; if he throws me a fast ball away, I am going to try and hit it to right field instead of pulling it, and that comes with being more mature as a hitter," Reynolds said.

After Byrnes singled, Hudson lofted the ball over the right field fence, and Arizona pushed its lead to 8-3.

Young's single in the eighth brought Upton home, and Doug Slaten worked a perfect ninth to end the game.

The Diamondbacks jumped on the Dodgers early, putting up four runs in the first. Young walked to start the inning, and Byrnes drove him home with a triple to center.

Byrnes eased home on Hudson's single, and it was 2-0 before Loaiza had recorded an out. After Loaiza did get Conor Jackson to pop up, Reynolds hammered the ball to left for a two-run homer, and a 4-0 Diamondbacks lead.

"I threw a lot of strikes and they just took advantage, which is why they got four runs in the first inning," Loaiza said.

The run support was welcome to Haren, who got a no decision in his first start of the season despite having a similar line. Last Wednesday, Haren went six innings and allowed three runs on four hits, while striking out four, in a 6-5 loss in Cincinnati.

Haren was just as effective Monday, and didn't allow a run until Kent hit a solo shot in the fourth inning.

Game Notes

Reynolds has four home runs this season, after hitting 17 last season for Arizona...Tuesday's game pits the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley (0-0) against Arizona's Doug Davis (0-1).