Melvin staying despite slump

As if there were any doubt, the Diamondbacks will not make a scapegoat out of manager Bob Melvin despite a recent slump that has made them a long shot for the playoffs.

Dunn's homer lifts D-Backs over San Francisco

Melvin's job is as secure as it always has been, a D-Backs source with intimate knowledge of the situation said Monday, only hours after Milwaukee made startling news by firing its manager, Ned Yost, with 12 games left in the regular season.

The Brewers had lost four straight games, and seven out of eight, to fall into a tie for the NL wild-card lead with Philadelphia, after a similar second-half fade in 2007.

The D-Backs have lost 15 of their last 20 games, going from 3 1/2 games ahead of Los Angeles in the NL West to 4 1/2 games behind while being victimized by an inability to get an opportune hit and an off-and-on bullpen.

Melvin's contract runs through 2010 after his deal was reworked last winter.

General manager Josh Byrnes and Melvin have meshed well since Byrnes joined the D-Backs before the 2006 season, after Melvin's first year on the job.

Melvin was named the NL manager of the year for leading the D-Backs to the 2007 NL West title with a team that scored fewer runs than it permitted.

DEBUT A HIT

First baseman Josh Whitesell got his first major league hit Monday, singling to right-center with one out in the seventh inning. It came in his first start, on his fifth at-bat after appearing twice previously as a pinch-hitter.

"I was pretty pumped when I saw it was going to fall," said Whitesell, 26. "It's an incredible feeling. It took five at-bats, but it was worth the wait."

Whitesell started, Melvin said, as the D-Backs "continue to look for other recipes" for an offense that has scored 23 runs in its last 10 games while going 7-for-76 (.092) with runners in scoring position.

The D-Backs have struggled to get production at first base the last few weeks. Chad Tracy does not have an RBI in 60 at-bats since Aug. 13 and is hitting .167 in that stretch. Tony Clark has two RBIs in his last 19 at-bats.

Whitesell, a left-handed batter, hit .328 with 36 doubles, 26 home runs and 110 RBIs at Triple-A Tucson, where he broke Lyle Overbay's franchise record for RBIs.

JACKSON HITS AGAIN

Conor Jackson, who missed the Cincinnati series with a right shoulder injury, took batting practice outside for the first time Monday and will play catch for the first time today, with an eye toward returning to the lineup today or Wednesday.

"It's extremely frustrating right now," said Jackson, whose 72 RBIs are third on the team behind Mark Reynolds (92) and Chris Young (75).

"It felt good, so that's good news."

SHORT HOPS

Shortstop Stephen Drew is expected to play tonight after missing two games to attend the funeral services for his grandmother in Georgia. Augie Ojeda was 3-for-7 in his absence. ... Chris Snyder's parents have been without power since Hurricane Ike was felt in Houston on Friday but have made it through with their gas generator. "They're all good," Snyder said. Chris Young said his family was doing well, also.