SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Potential No. 3 and 4 starters Chase Anderson and Rubby De La Rosa made their third spring appearances in the Arizona Diamondbacks' split-squad games Saturday at Salt River Fields, with mixed results.
In the night game, Anderson gave up two runs on a Brandon Belt two-run home run in the first inning while going four innings in a 5-2 victory over San Francisco. He was the first D-backs pitcher to go four innings this spring, and he needed only 49 pitches to get there. Anderson also singled in his second plate appearance in the fourth.
Middle infielder Chris Owings made his spring debut against the Giants, and it went well. Owings, delayed slightly by October left shoulder surgery, backed Anderson by singling in the first run of a three-run third inning. Owings also stole second base and scored on Mark Trumbo's two-run single to center field. Trumbo has five RBI, tied for second on the team.
It did not go as well for De La Rosa, who had command issues while giving up three hits and four walks. He also hit a batter while working three innings of an 11-4 afternoon loss to Seattle. He hit a batter and walked in a run in the second inning and gave up two runs on three hits in the third.
Neither D-backs starter been scored on in his two previous outings, De La Rosa over five innings and Anderson in 4 2/3. Most of the starting candidates were roughed up a bit the last time through the rotation.
"It's the middle of spring training. It's not fun. Are we alarmed? No," D-backs manager Chip Hale said after the Seattle game.
"We've got time. It's at that time of spring training where it is sort of a dead period. Arms get a little bit tired. We have guys competing for these spots. We'd like to see guys step forward, and some guys will. We need five."
Rubby De La Rosa
De La Rosa pitched a 1-2-3 first inning before running into trouble. His fastball sat in the 94-95 mph range and touched 97 mph in the second, but he lost the plate, throwing 23 balls in his 37 pitches.
"I was rushing a little with my delivery," De La Rosa said. "It's not a big deal. I tried to do too much and tried to throw different pitches."
Hale said it was all part of the process of stretching starters out in preparation for getting them up to six or seven innings by the start of the regular season.
"They get one or two innings, they can just let it fly," Hale said. "Now they have to figure out how to pitch to get through more innings. We're seeing some chinks in the armor. We have to fix it. That's our job. He's got good stuff. We know he's got good stuff.
Chase Anderson
Anderson said he hung a changeup that Belt hit for a homer in the first inning but other than that was pleased. He said he threw about a dozen two-seam fastballs, a pitch he is looking to incorporate this spring, and liked the way it felt.
After Justin Maxwell tripled with one out in the fourth inning, Anderson used his two-seamer to get Joaquin Arias on a broken-bat, soft liner to shortstop and then Guillermo Quiroz on a grounder to third base to get out of the inning.
"Every pitch in to righties was a two-seamer," Anderson said. "Today was a big leap for that pitch. Hopefully I can carry it over into the next outing and keep getting better."
Aaron Blair
Blair gave up one hit and one walk in three scoreless innings while following Anderson in the night game against the Giants. Blair gave up a one-out triple to Belt in the sixth inning but got out of the inning with two fly balls to center. He mixed his pitches, and his fastball was in the low 90 mph range.
Catcher Gerald Laird helped when he threw out Gary Brown attempting to steal second base after walking to open the fifth.
Chris Owings worked an eight-pitch at-bat in his first spring plate appearance during first inning before singling to left-center field, driving in a run in the third inning. He also stole second and scored. "It was nice to get out there, especially a night game," Owings said. Owings has modified his hitting approach with an eye on finishing his swing with both hands. Doing so will protect the anchor inserted during left shoulder surgery in October. "It's taken a lot of pressure off," Owings said. "It's become normal. It's just staying on the ball a little bit longer. This is what I have to do to keep playing." Owings used a feet-first slide on his stolen base. He vowed not slide head-first, the way he injured his shoulder in a home plate collision last year ... Yasmany Tomas was back at third base Saturday night after missing the Friday game at Cleveland's complex because of a headache ... Trevor Cahill and Vidal Nuno are scheduled to pitch in a "B" game against Colorado at 10 a.m Sunday. That will take place on a minor league field on the Rockies' side of the Salt River Fields complex. Archie Bradley is to face San Francisco in the regular game, and the D-backs do not want to give the Giants another look at Cahill or Nuno before the regular season begins ... The D-backs played in front of single-day record 25,996 fans in the split-squad games on Saturday ... The night crowd of 13,032 was also a Salt River Fields record.
Right-hander Matt Stites, who has not pitched in a game because of shoulder soreness suffered in pre-camp throwing, threw his second bullpen session Saturday. He is expected to throw batting practice to hitters at least once before being scheduled into a game. A date has not been determined.
Diamondbacks at San Francisco
Scottsdale Stadium, 3:05 pm Sunday
Probable pitchers: Diamondbacks -- RHP Archie Bradley, RHP Tim Crabbe, RHP J.C. Ramirez, LHP Will Locante, LHP Dan Runzler. Giants -- RHP Tim Hudson, RHP Yusmeiro Petit, RHP Kyle Crick, RHP Jean Machi.
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