ERST LESEN! » ryant as the Bulldogs try to improve

PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks understand what they are up against entering the second half of the season, and their comeback victory against San Francisco on Saturday was a step in the right direction.Welington Castillos three-run homer in the eighth inning put the finishing touches on a four-run comeback for an exhilarating 6-5 victory, snapping a six-game losing streak.As for something to build on as the teams prepare for the final game of a three-game homestand, time will tell.I hope so, said Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who made a lunging stop with a runner on first base to preserve reliever Jake Barretts first major league victory and Brad Zieglers 17th save for the final out Saturday.Youd like to say yes, but who knows if you can. You show up tomorrow and it is zero-zero and it doesnt really matter that much. We need the win, just because we know how far back we are from San Fran and even in the wild card, so any win is going to be big. Hopefully the momentum carries over, but I know they are not going to be fazed by it.They are fine coming off losses, and it is not like if we would have lost we would have showed up and been hanging our heads tomorrow. Hopefully we can win the series.The D-backs (37-46) will send left-hander Robbie Ray against Giants right-hander Albert Suarez in the finale of the three-game series at Chase Field on Sunday.Arizonas victory Saturday was the first by the home team in the first 10 games of the season series. The Diamondbacks swept a four-game series at AT&T Park on April 18-21 before the Giants swept a four-gamer series at Chase Field on May 12-15. The Giants won the opener of this series Friday, coming back from two three-run deficits in a 5-4 victory.That is one we let get away, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Saturday.Castillo has homered in two consecutive games and has hit four of his 10 homers against the Giants this season. He had seven in his first 21 games before going 28 games without one, connecting again June 17.Asked if his homers come in bunches, Castillo drew chuckles when he said, Thats what it looks like. Ive been feeling good lately. I know I went through a tough moment. I dont worry about my hitting. I know I can hit a little bit. Just time, and its going to come.Arizona third baseman Jake Lamb had two hits and a walk Saturday and is close to becoming the fourth player (five occurrences) in franchise history to have 20 doubles and 20 homers before the All-Star break. Lamb hit his 19th double Saturday and has 18 homers after hitting one in each of the three previous games. Only Paul Goldschmidt (twice), Matt Williams and Jay Bell have done it.Ray (4-7) threw six shutout innings for his first victory of the season at San Francisco on April 19, and he is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two career starts against the Giants. He averages 10.42 strikeouts per nine innings, seventh highest among NL starters and third highest among left-handers.Suarez (3-1) will make his sixth start Sunday and also has made six relief appearances. He took Matt Cains spot in the starting rotation when Cain went out with a right hamstring strain. He has a 4.39 ERA in five starts and will gave the Diamondbacks for the first time. Cheap Titans Jerseys . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Cheap Tennessee Titans Jerseys . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. http://www.cheaptitansjerseyselite.com/ . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Cheap Titans Jerseys China . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. Cheap Titans Jerseys Authentic . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. INDIANAPOLIS -- Opposites will attract lots of attention Saturday afternoon when No. 9 Indiana and No. 18 Butler clash in the sixth-annual Crossroads Classic in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Indiana (8-1) loves its high-powered offense, which leads the Big Ten Conference at 87.6 points per game. The Hoosiers will be bolstered by the return of sophomore OG Anunoby (12.5 points), who has missed three consecutive games with an ankle injury suffered in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge victory against North Carolina.The high-scoring Hoosiers are led by guard James Blackmon, Jr. (16.9 points), Robert Johnson (13.1) and Thomas Bryant (11.9 points, 8.4 rebounds). Indiana enters with a five-game winning streak since losing in overtime at Fort Wayne.The Hoosiers are 3-2 in Crossroads Classic games, including 1-1 against Butler, and its an event Indiana coach Tom Crean enjoys.Its a great environment and always well run, Crean said this week. We enjoy playing there. But with this team, I still dont think we have the connectedness on the floor with the stuff that goes with playing together.Sometimes that shows up in turnovers. That will take a little time to get there. Our ability to play hard and with grit is expanding all the time.Crean is eager to see how Indiana will perform coming off a week of final exams.We must stay sharp, Crean said. I think we will get energy by our guys seeing that we are improving.While the Hoosiers love a high-scoring game, Butler coach Chris Holtmanns team (9-1) relies on a stifling defense that allows only 62 points and holds opponents to 41.5 percent field goal shooting. Butlers defense was especially good in this past Saturdayys victory against Cincinnati.ddddddddddddI think our guys just took it upon themselves to not give them anything easy and try to keep them off the glass, Holtmann said. Weve said it over and over that we just have to continue to improve on that end.If were going to have any kind of successful year, were going to have to consistently be good on that end. We were at times (against Cincinnati). Hopefully, we can grow from it. We know weve got to prepare for the best offensive team in the country (Indiana).While Indiana relies on its guard play and Bryants powerful inside game, Butler, 10-3 all-time in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, counters with a trio of hard-working forwards -- Andrew Chrabascz (11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds), Kelan Martin (17.7 points) and Nate Fowler (4.9 points).At 6-10, Fowler could play a big role in helping Butler contain Bryant as the Bulldogs try to improve to 5-1 in the Crossroads Classic. Fowler had a solid game against Cincinnati, making 4 of 5 field goal attempts, finishing with nine points and four rebounds.I thought he was tremendous, Holtmann said. In some ways, weve been begging him if you are open to shoot it. Nate is one of those guys where he just wants the team to win. He wants to do whatever the team needs to do to win.Sometimes you have to encourage him to be a little more aggressive. I thought our guys did a great job of finding him at critical moments in the second half and he did a good job rebounding, which has not always been his strength. I thought his play was critical. ' ' '