Doug Davis wanted his last start before having thyroid cancer surgery to be special. He didn’t disappoint, and an appreciative Arizona crowd sent him off with a rousing ovation.
Pitching two days before his scheduled operation, Davis allowed two runs in six innings, and the Diamondbacks went on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 for their fifth consecutive victory.
Davis left to a standing ovation, tipping his hat to the crowd, then coming out of the dugout for a curtain call.
“Pretty heroic really,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said of Davis’ performance. “I think he was a little more emotional today going into that game. It looked like he was a little more focused today. He knew this was going to be the last one for him, and he wanted to win bad. Pretty impressive.”
Davis blanked the Dodgers through five innings before Jeff Kent doubled in two runs in the sixth. He struck out the next two batters, then got Gary Bennett to ground out to get out of the jam.
“I just felt like I wanted to go out there and do well because I’m going to have a month off,” Davis said. “I leave on a good note, that was the key. A quality start, that’s what I take the most pride in. It was definitely emotional coming off the field, for sure.”
He stayed in the dugout with his teammates to watch the rest of the game.
In other NL games, it was: Philadelphia 5, N.Y. Mets 2; Milwaukee 3, Cincinnati 2, 10 innings; St. Louis 5, Houston 3; Colorado 4, Atlanta 3; and San Francisco 3, San Diego 2, 11 innings
Davis (1-1), a .070 career hitter, even singled twice, one of them bringing in a run for his seventh RBI. He also picked off a runner at first. Davis allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked two.
Davis had insisted on making his two scheduled starts before the operation on Thursday to remove his thyroid gland. He is optimistic about his recovery, saying he expects to be sidelined only four to six weeks.
“I’m going to try to pick up a ball three to four days afterward just to play catch,” Davis said. “I don’t know how much strength I’m going to have. We’ll see how I feel.”
He’s targeted his return for the team’s trip to Chicago on May 9-11.
Arizona’s Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer off Chad Billingsley in the first inning, his fourth home run in three games. Conor Jackson tripled with the bases loaded to blow the game open in the four-run seventh.
Billingsley (0-1) struggled with his control and lasted just 2 1-3 innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits. He struck out one, walked three and hit two batters.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre called it “a horrible night.”
“It was one we need to get out of our system quick,” he said.
Phillies 5, Mets 2
At New York, Jamie Moyer (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, Jayson Werth hit a tiebreaking single and the Phillies beat the Mets in their final home opener at Shea Stadium.
Philadelphia, which took advantage of the Mets’ epic collapse last September to win the division title, has won nine in a row against New York.
Chase Utley tied a major league record by getting hit by a pitch three times for the Phillies.
Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis (0-1) gave up three runs – one earned – and two hits.
Brewers 3, Reds 2, 10 innings
At Milwaukee, Rickie Weeks singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati after Eric Gagne blew his second save in three chances.
Corey Patterson hit a homer just over right fielder Corey Hart’s leap to tie the game in the ninth.
J.J. Hardy singled to start the inning and pinch-hitter Joe Dillon sacrificed Hardy to second. Jason Kendall singled off David Weathers (0-1) to right field to set up Weeks, who hit it just past shortstop Jeff Keppinger. Salomon Torres (1-0) got the win.
Rockies 4, Braves 3
At Denver, Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start and Matt Holliday hit two run-scoring singles in Colorado’s second-straight one-run win over Atlanta.
Jimenez (1-1) allowed six hits and three runs in six innings.
Jair Jurrjens (1-1) gave up four earned runs and nine hits over seven innings.
Cardinals 5, Astros 3
At Houston, Troy Glaus hit a two-run double in the eighth inning off Geoff Geary (0-1) to give St. Louis a win.
Anthony Reyes (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit ball, and Jason Isringhausen worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Giants 3, Padres 2, 11 innings
At San Francisco, Bengie Molina hit his second homer of the game with one out in the 11th inning off Cla Meredith (0-1), and the Giants snapped a four-game skid.
Brad Hennessey (1-0) threw two shutout innings for the win.
Brian Giles had four hits and drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth for the Padres.
Add A Comment