D-Backs notebook: Haren cherishes his All-Star moment

Dan Haren packed a special souvenir from the last All-Star game to be played at the original Yankee Stadium — his dirty, dusty cleats.

Haren purposely did not clean his spikes after his two-inning appearance Tuesday, preferring to package and store them as a keepsake, as he did with his game shoes from his 2007 All-Star start in San Francisco.

Haren also took numerous pictures with his wife and seven-month-old son.

“One of the memories we’re going to have is to be able to tell my son we played the last All-Star game on that field,” Haren said.

Haren said he was told as he warmed up to enter the fifth inning that he would pitch two innings, not just one, in order to preserve pitching.

It turned out to be a prescient move by NL manager Clint Hurdle, who used every pitcher he had — Tim Lincecum was hospitalized — in the 15-inning, 4-3 loss.

Brandon Webb, who was told he would not be used except in drastic circumstances, threw 13 pitches in a 1-2-3 14th inning, striking out his final two batters on change-ups.

“I felt kind of bad for him,” Haren said.

“He had tuned out thinking he wasn’t going in. As it got later he came up to me and said ‘Dude, if this game goes 14 or 15, I’ll be in there.’ He was lights out, even if it was not exactly the way it was scripted.”

Haren will follow Doug Davis and start the second game of the Los Angeles series on Saturday, while Webb will pitch Sunday.

GOOD COMMUNICATION

Hurdle called Bob Melvin and left a voice mail regarding his use of Webb, a move Melvin said he appreciated but was not necessary.

“I was absolutely comfortable” with Webb pitching in the 14th inning, Melvin said.

“I think he was glad to get in there, too. Everybody won with that one.”

Webb, Tampa Bay’s Scott Kazmir and the Cubs’ Ryan Dempster all pitched in extra innings despite starting the previous Sunday, a potentially dangerous situation because of limited rest.

Melvin offered a solution — add another pitcher to the All-Star roster for each starter who pitched on Sunday.

SNYDER TO STOCKTON

There has been a change of plans regarding Chris Snyder’s rehab from a testicular fracture.

After participating in the D-Backs’ workout at Chase Field on Thursday, Snyder was to fly to Stockton, Calif., to meet the D-Backs’ Single-A Visalia affiliate for its game today.

“I feel great,” said Snyder, out since July 1.

“The goal right now is to catch seven innings, but maybe I can weasel my way into a couple more.”

The D-Backs seem to be shooting for Snyder to be activated from the disabled list Sunday.

SHORT HOPS

Randy Johnson will start the first game of the Cubs series Monday, Melvin said, with Micah Owings and Davis pitching the final two games. ...

Juan Cruz (oblique) is expected to throw a bullpen session today and is likely to need at least one rehab assignment before rejoining the D-Backs, Melvin said.

Today's game

When: 6:40 p.m.
Where: Chase Field
TV/Radio: FSN Arizona/KTAR (620 AM)
Line: Arizona 100-110
Records: Dodgers 46-49,
Diamondbacks 47-48
Pitchers: Los Angeles’ Hiroki Kuroda (5-6, 3.43 ERA) has shutouts in two of his last five starts, against Atlanta on July 7 and the Cubs on June 6. He will make his second start of the season against the D-Backs after taking a 4-2 loss on April 9, when two of his runs were unearned.
Arizona’s Doug Davis (3-4, 3.80) has not given up more than three runs in his last six starts, but is only 1-1 with four no-decisions to show for it. He has beaten the Dodgers in his only start against them this season and is 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA against them in his career.
Rest of the series: Saturday, 5:10 p.m. – Chad Billingsley (9-8, 3.25) vs. Dan Haren (8-5, 2.72); Sunday, 1:10 p.m. – Derek Lowe (7-8, 3.85) vs. Brandon Webb (13-4, 3.23).

Los Angeles scouting report: The Dodgers lost five of their last six games before the All-Star break to fall out of a tie with the D-Backs for the NL West lead. … C Russell Martin (.294, 10 HRs, 45 RBIs), the Dodgers’ lone All-Star, also leads major league catchers with 10 stolen bases. … OF Andre Ethier (.283, 11, 41) hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games entering the break. … OF Andruw Jones (.164, 2, 10) is hitting .156 in eight games since his return from the disabled list. He struck out five times last Saturday, tying a franchise record. … With Takashi Saito (3-3, 2.18, 17 saves) expected to miss six weeks, Jonathan Broxton (2-2, 3.40) will be installed as the closer, manager Joe Torre said.