DENVER – Eric Byrnes didn’t quite retract his remarks. But last night the Arizona star outfielder further explained his comments from Saturday that the Diamondbacks had perhaps played better than the Rockies in the NLCS.
“I wasn’t speaking negatively about the Rockies. The Rockies are obviously on one of the best runs in major league history,” Byrnes said after last night’s 4-1 Game 3 loss.
“I was speaking on behalf of our team and our belief in ourself and the fact that we had played two games against them up to that point and we felt like either one of those games could have gone our way, and unfortunately they didn’t.
“It wasn’t so much anything against the Rockies. I was speaking on, ‘Hey, look if we get the ball bouncing our way,’ which obviously didn’t really happen tonight either.”
On Saturday, Byrnes had said that “we have not been outplayed. If anything, I think it’s the other way around.”
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Despite the 3-0 deficit, Arizona manager Bob Melvin reiterated that ace Brandon Webb isn’t going to pitch in Game 4 tonight, saying after last night’s game, “Webb’s not starting [Game 4].” Earlier in the day, Melvin said, “He won’t pitch on short rest.”
Webb pitched last Thursday in Game 1, so tonight would be only three days between starts.
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The D’backs will have Micah Owings instead pitch in Game 4, and something to watch for is the rookie’s hitting prowess. During the season, Owings batted .333 with four homers and 15 RBIs.
“He’s an offensive player,” Melvin said. “We’re in a DH situation, an American League situation when he’s in the game.”
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Heading into last night, Rockies star Matt Holliday was just 1-for-8 in the NLCS. Said Holliday yesterday, “This series I’ve pretty much been awful.”
Holliday, though, went 2-for-4 last night, including a solo homer in the first inning.