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Petit seeks bounce-back effort

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Yusmeiro Petit allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in his last start. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

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By JR Radcliffe / Special to MLB.com

05/02/09 10:13 PM ET

MILWAUKEE -- This is one Yusmeiro Petit needs.

The long-term substitute for an injured Brandon Webb, Petit has been ineffective in three starts and four appearances this year, and he gets a chance to right the ship Sunday in the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 25-year-old right-hander allowed seven runs, eight hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings last time out against Chicago, and he has allowed just shy of two baserunners per inning this season.

"When he gets in trouble, he gets in bad counts, and the ball elevates," manager Bob Melvin said. "He wouldn't be considered a low-ball sinkerballer, but he's got to stay just above the knee. If the ball elevates to mid-thigh and he gets into unpredictable counts, he really doesn't have the type of velocity or movement to be able to get away with that."

If Petit struggles again, the club may re-evaluate that portion of the rotation. Last year, he performed fairly well in eight starts, with a 3-4 record and 4.36 ERA, but also holding opposing batters to a .213 average.

"When we've seen him pitch well, he's gotten ahead and expanded on certain sides, and the ball's been down more," Melvin said.

Pitching matchup
ARI: RHP Yusmeiro Petit (0-2, 8.62 ERA)
Petit has taken Brandon Webb's place in the rotation while the right-hander is on the disabled list with shoulder stiffness. The right-hander struggled in his last start against the Cubs on Tuesday. After working two scoreless innings, he gave up a three-run homer to Alfonso Soriano. That seemed to open the floodgates, as one inning later, the Cubs chased him from the game with a four-run rally. In two starts prior to that, Petit allowed five earned runs in 10 innings. Unfortunately the bullpen struggled both times. Petit has filled the spot-starter/long-relief role for the D-backs the past two seasons. Though he doesn't possess overpowering stuff, he has a good feel for pitching and generally has good command.

MIL: RHP Dave Bush (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
Five days after carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning in Philadelphia, Bush surrendered his first hit to the third batter he faced on Tuesday. It was one of six Pirates hits off Bush, who lasted just five innings and surrendered five runs, four of them earned. Four of the runs scored on two-run doubles by Wisconsin natives -- the first by Eric Hinske in the third inning and the other by Jason Jaramillo in the fifth after Bush brushed the jerseys of Pirates hitters with consecutive pitches. He'll aim for better command against the D-backs. Bush is 4-1 with a 4.15 ERA in five previous starts against Arizona.

Tidbits
Melvin said the training staff had not formally addressed the issue of the flu that has become a national headline, though his players were aware of sanitizing measures they can take. "The fact that we travel as a group and don't go through airports is beneficial to us, but there's only so much you can do," he said. ... Chris Young, whose average fell below .200 with an 0-for-7 start to the road trip, was given the day off Saturday in favor of Eric Byrnes. ... Augie Ojeda was back in the lineup Saturday after missing two games with a groin strain. ... Top pitching prospect Jarrod Parker struggled in his Double-A debut Saturday, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, with five strikeouts and one walk. Parker was the ninth overall selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

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Up next
• Monday: Diamondbacks (Doug Davis, 2-3, 2.91) at Dodgers (Eric Stults, 2-1, 5.50), 7:10 p.m. MST
• Tuesday: Diamondbacks (Max Scherzer, 0-2, 3.48) at Dodgers (James McDonald, 1-1, 8.16), 7:10 p.m. MST
• Wednesday: Diamondbacks (Jon Garland, 2-1, 4.94) at Padres (TBD), 7:05 p.m. MST

JR Radcliffe is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.