Drew's cycle keys 8-6 comeback against St. Louis

Stephen Drew's dream afternoon ended what had been a nightmare 2 1/2 days for the Diamondbacks. Drew had five hits, including the first D-Backs' cycle at Chase Field, to help them overcome a 5-1 deficit and break a two-game losing streak Monday with an 8-6 victory over St. Louis.

D-Backs notebook: Eckstein makes good first impression

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His home run in the fifth inning - one of the D-Backs' four - closed the deficit to 5-4, and his double in the seventh set up a two-run rally to break a 6-6 tie as the D-Backs shook off the hangover from losing consecutive games to NL West rival Los Angeles with Dan Haren and Brandon Webb on the mound.

"To hit for the cycle, I'm kind of in awe," said Drew, whose five hits tied a team record. "It's fun, but it wouldn't have meant anything if we didn't win."

The Seattle Mariners' Adrian Beltre also hit for the cycle later Monday against the Rangers. It was the first time two players hit for the cycle on the same day since Sept. 17, 1920, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The D-Backs (70-67) extended St. Louis' losing streak to four games and maintained their 2 1/2-game NL West lead over the Dodgers, who beat to San Diego.

"After losing two tough games, to be able to respond when we were down, when they were beating up on our starter, who doesn't usually get beat up ... it's a great comeback," manager Bob Melvin said.

The D-Backs were playing catch-up most of the way after Randy Johnson gave up four home runs in 3 2/3 innings, two in the second and two more in the third, including Albert Pujols' two-run shot.

But Adam Dunn and Chris Young also had bases-empty home runs for the D-Backs, and Mark Reynolds tied the score at 6-6 with his 29th home run, a two-run shot off reliever Kyle McClellan in the sixth.

"We kept pecking away, pecking away," said newcomer David Eckstein, who drove in two runs, including the go-ahead run in the seventh. "I liked what I saw."

Drew, who remained in the leadoff spot with Eckstein batting No. 2, used the whole field, singling to left in the first inning and tripling to right-center in the third. His homer went into the seats in right, and he followed Jeff Salazar's pinch-hit single with a ground-rule double to left field in the seventh to put runners on second and third with no outs.

Eckstein, who arrived in town at 10:30 p.m. Sunday after playing for Toronto that afternoon, lined a single to right to score Salazar, and an insurance run scored on a two-out wild pitch.

Chad Qualls (3-8), Tony Pena and Brandon Lyon pitched scoreless innings to hold the lead.

Drew improved his batting average to .289, the highest it has been since May 21.

Asked how locked in Drew is, Melvin said:

"Like on a 1 to 10 scale? Pretty close to a 10. It seems like he's getting hits every time he comes up."

"He's one of the most exciting players coming up in the game," Eckstein said.