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03-09-2003, 11:30 PM

http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/scoreboard/20030309/recap/461948.html

Dessens impresses again in D-backs' win

March 9, 2003 Print it

PHOENIX -- Elmer Dessens pitched five shutout innings and Alex Cintron hit a two-run homer as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-1 Sunday.

Dessens, acquired from Cincinnati in a four-team trade this offseason, is slated to be the Diamondbacks' No. 3 starter behind Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.

In his third start this spring, Dessens (3-0) gave up two hits, walked one batter and struck out one. In 10 spring-training innings, the righthander has allowed one run and three hits.

"I like what I've seen so far," Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly said. "He moves the ball around. He changes speeds. He's looked really good."

Cintron's homer came in the second inning against Milwaukee righthander Dave Mlicki (0-3).

"I wouldn't characterize him as a home-run hitter, but if you make a mistake to him from the left side, he can do that," Brenly said.

Jed Hansen homered in the eighth inning off Greg Swindell for Milwaukee's only run.

The Brewers then put runners at second and third with nobody out in the ninth before Matt Mantei retired the next three batters to end the threat.

Mantei is taking over the closer's role previously occupied by Byung-Hyun Kim. He missed most of 2001 and half of last season with elbow problems, but hit 99 mph on the radar gun and consistently threw his fastball at 96 mph Sunday.

"He had a little trouble harnessing it, but I'm encouraged to see him throw like that," Brenly said. "That's a huge step in the right direction."

Attendance for the game was 10,272, the largest crowd ever at Maryvale Baseball Park, the Brewers' spring training home since 1998. The previous record of 9,812 was set in 2001 against Arizona.

Notes: Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Grace (strained right calf) took batting practice for the first time in a week. He also did some light jogging and fielded grounders. "It was good to get back on the field again," said Grace. "When you're out that long, it's like going back to square one." Grace hopes to return by the middle of the week. . . . The Brewers reassigned four righthanded pitchers. Matt Childers was optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis; Pedro Liriano and Luis Martinez were optioned to Class AA Huntsville; and David Manning was returned to minor-league camp. . . . Milwaukee righthander Jayson Durocher underwent arthroscopic surgery Saturday to remove two bone chips from his pitching elbow. Durocher had been bothered by discomfort in the elbow since the first week of camp and is expected to be out until late April or early May.

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