With their lineup back at full-strength, the Arizona Diamondbacks looked -- for a weekend, at least -- like a team that could be dangerous in September. Against the reeling Houston Astros, the hitters hit well and the pitchers pitched well and everyone went home happy (except for closer Chad Qualls, who dislocated his knee Sunday on a weird game-ending play). In Sunday's 4-3 win, starting pitcher Dan Haren wasn't dominant but he was good, going seven innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits, and striking out seven. After some so-so starts in early August, Haren appears to have nearly recovered the Cy Young-candidate form that he displayed so often before the All-Star break.
Offensively, the lineup clicked. Justin Upton hit two home runs over the weekend, Miguel Montero continued his onslaught and is quickly becoming one of the National League's best-hitting catchers (here's hoping he's not a one-season wonder), Alex Romero hit his first big-league homer, and Mark Reynolds hit the 40th homer of his otherworldly season. Reynolds became only the second D-Back in franchise history to achieve the feat. Of course, Luis Gonzalez hit 57 in 2001, the year the D-Backs won the World Series. With 85 career homers already (in only his second full season), Reynolds is fifth on the D-Backs' all-time homer list, behind Gonzo, Steve Finley, Matt Williams, and Jay Bell, who had 91.
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