PHOENIX -- D-backs third baseman Mark Reynolds didn't appear to be running very well in Tuesday night's 9-7 win over the Cardinals.

"He's hobbling," D-backs manager A.J. Hinch admitted after the game. "He's not 100 percent, and he hasn't been 100 percent. It's been a little bit of a nagging leg injury for a while. I think he's fine. He finished the game and didn't have any complaints on the bench."

When asked specifically what is ailing Reynolds, Hinch said, "It's more of a quad issue."

The injury may have been why Reynolds slowed down a bit rounding second base in the sixth inning on Gerardo Parra's double. The hesitation cost Reynolds as he was nailed trying to score on the play.

It didn't impede Reynolds from hammering a Mitchell Boggs pitch deep into the left-field bleachers in the fourth. The three-run blast put the D-backs on top for good, 8-7.

"Early in the at-bat, I got him swinging at a breaking ball away," Boggs said. "I felt like he was diving out over the plate a little bit. I thought I could get in on him. I still think I can get in on him. I just left a pitch up. It should have been in off the plate, but it was just in, which is a pitch that he does a lot of damage with. He's up there trying to do one thing, which is change the game. I felt comfortable with him. I felt like I had a good plan. I just didn't execute it. That's how it goes."

Reynolds also matched his career high in the game by drawing three walks.

Montero eager to return to D-backs

PHOENIX -- There were times during this past road trip when injured D-backs catcher Miguel Montero could not watch his mates as they struggled through a 1-5 swing through Southern California.

"Really hard," Montero said of watching while recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. "It's just hard to be at home and lay down and watch the games on TV. It's a little frustrating. Sometimes I have to shut down the TV and play video games."

Montero suffered the injury on April 10 against the Pirates while running out an infield grounder, and he had surgery on April 15. The expected recovery time is four to six weeks.

"I've got a good feeling about my knee right now," Montero said. "I know they say four to six weeks, but I'm going to work as hard as I can just to come back, because I can't be watching the games anymore. I watched the games for 2 1/2 years. We're going day-by-day and see how it feels. I'm a catcher. I've got to take my time, too. I don't want to rush anything and go out there and get hurt again."

That was a reference to the fact that he served as Chris Snyder's backup until June of last year, when he capitalized on Snyder's back injury to claim the starting job.

While the club no doubt misses Montero's contributions at the plate, it also missed his presence during a dispiriting road trip.

"He's a fun guy to have on the club, and he's fun to have in the dugout," D-backs manager A.J. Hinch said. "He is miserable not being able to contribute to our team. He's progressing in his rehab quite a bit, so he'll travel with us next week and get into baseball activities hopefully over the course of this [next] road trip. He's got an infectious spirit about him that's fun to be around. His teammates love it. He's very vocal in the dugout. It's good to have. He's sorely missed on the field, but he's also a good influence."

Hinch after certain intangibles from his team

PHOENIX -- It's hard to pinpoint exactly what is going on with the D-backs right now.

Yes, the bullpen has been bad, but the offense has not tacked on runs when need be, and there have been some defensive miscues at inopportune times.

So D-backs manager A.J. Hinch was asked more specifically what he's looking for out of his team when he talks about mental toughness.

"When games are on the line, there's a focus and an intensity that we're inconsistent with," Hinch said. "It's not as though we're not prepared or don't understand the situation or have a game plan, but it's determination and attitude. We show that at times -- when we played Pittsburgh and we put one at-bat after the other and we just weren't going to let them breathe."

The series with the Pirates capped an opening homestand that saw Arizona go 4-2.

The D-backs had less success on the road, going 1-5 on a swing through Southern California.

"There are plenty of opportunities that we've missed," Hinch said. "That determination at the most critical times is what I'm talking about. A lot of that has to do with coming after failure. After an error, do you allow the inning to compound? After a strikeout, does the next guy put up a quality at-bat? Those are qualities that we can have and we do have at times. We just don't have it consistently.

"Making plays to win. I think that's an attitude. It's confidence. If you could breathe confidence into every one of your players, you'd patent it and you'd never have to work again."

Norberto seeks control

PHOENIX -- If you're looking for reasons why D-backs left-hander Jordan Norberto has struggled in his last three outings, all you need to do is look at the walk column.

Six walks over his last 1 2/3 innings have led to a pair of runs walked in by the rookie.

"I don't like walks," Norberto said. "I'm trying to be too nasty."

What that means is Norberto is trying to make the perfect pitch on the corners. So when he's off just a bit, it's a ball. His focus now is throwing it more down the middle and letting the movement of his pitches take them to the corners.

"I need to use more of the plate," Norberto said.