The Kind of Win Playoff Teams Get

(Photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP)

"He [Dodger starter Chad Billingsley] didn't make many mistakes today and that was one of the few, and it worked out good for us."

--D'Backs catcher Chris Snyder, on the pitch he hit for a home run, which was the only run of the game.

It was a pitchers' duel between the top two teams in the division, both of whom have excellent records in one-run games.

And Arizona won it!

It was pitching the way it should be: D'Backs starter Doug Davis pitched 8 shut-out innings, walking only one. Closer Jose Valverde pitched the ninth, striking out two on the way to his 32nd save.

It would have been more comfortable if the D'Backs could have scored more than one run -- tip of the cap to Dodger starter Chad Billingsley for an excellent job -- but Chris Snyder's home run proved enough, partially because of the excellent defense behind Davis. Pictured above is Eric Byrnes robbing Nomar Garciaparra of a hit in the seventh inning.

But speaking of Eric, he went 0-4 and punched out three times, once looking, once swinging, and once on a checked swing on which the home plate umpire rang him up anyway.

Eric, that last one was really too close to take. Swing, dammit! You might hit the ball and it might go somewhere they ain't. Don't be tentative. Especially now that your batting average is slipping and it looks as though 26 homers might as well be 60 and 30 might as well be 74.

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