The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page C8

C8 SUNDAY, MAY 29,2011 2nd THE SUNDAY STAR INDYSTAR.COM NASCAR DIAMONDBACKS 11, ASTROS 3 Duke's comeback includes home run (0 JASON SMITH Getty Images Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 16 Ford, celebrates winning the Nationwide Series Top Gear 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday. He was subbing for Trevor Bayne, who is ill. Penske teams an enigma Associated Press HOUSTON As a pitcher, Zach Duke is not a fan of the short, 315-foot left-field fence known as the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park. As a hitter, Duke has a different opinion.

The veteran left-hander allowed three hits over seven innings and hit an opposite-field, three-run homer in his first game of the season, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 11-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. "They're OK as long as I'm hitting," Duke said of the Crawford Boxes after his surprising first-game performance after returning from a broken hand in spring training. Duke's first home run in seven major-league seasons came in the Diamondbacks' four-run fourth inning, a shot over the left-field fence off Bud Norris (2-4). "I got to first base and was looking for the ball and didn't see it," Duke said. "I was kind of shocked myself." Arizona has won four in a row, 11 of 12 and 13 of its past 15.

Duke (1-0), acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a trade last November, missed Arizona's first 51 games while recovering from the injury. The Astros didn't get a hit until Clint Barmes' single to left with one out in the fourth. And, Duke was just as impressive on the mound as at the plate. Activated from the disabled list earlier Saturday, Duke didn't allow another runner until he walked Matt Downs in the sixth. Carlos Lee and Brett Wallace each singled in the seventh.

"Knock on wood, it's not easy," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "Things are falling into place for us now. We're getting good contributions from everybody. PAT SULLIVAN Associated Press Diamondbacks lefty Zach Duke smiles in the dugout after smacking his three-run homer. I'll try to rest some guys tomorrow and keep everyone involved." Duke thought he was ready to go, and it showed.

"I felt good in my rehab starts," Duke said. "I threw a lot of strikes and got a lot of groundballs. I'm happy it worked out." Duke, who walked one and struck out four, made two rehab assignments before making his first start of the season. Duke, 28, played parts of two years with the Indianapolis Indians in 2005 and 2007. He was named to the National League All-Star team in 2009.

In 2005, he won 12 games and had a 2.92 ERA with the Triple-A Tribe before being called up to the Pirates on July 2. BASEBALL NOTEBOOK Angry Guillen sounds off after 14th-inning defeat Busch apparently does make things happen behind the scenes. His radio tirade at Richmond earlier this month was epic, and the fallout led to some serious organizational meetings that Busch believed would spur some changes. Less than two weeks later, technical director Tom German left the organization in what the team said was a long-planned opportunity to attend an elite graduate program at MIT. "There were people that had good things to say about him and people that had bad things to say about him," Keselowski said of German.

"Either way, the change there has opened doors that would have never opened before. The jury is still out whether that's good or bad." It's such a far cry from Roger Penske's esteemed IndyCar operation, which will attempt to win its 16th Indianapolis 500 today. Will Power, who will start from the second row, has two wins this season and leads the points standings. Teammates Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe have struggled at times this season and this month at Indy, and Briscoe will race in a backup today. Back in NASCAR, the two Penske teams have been all over the map.

Kenseth triumphs Matt Kenseth passed Roush Fenway Racing teammate Carl Edwards with two laps to go and hung on to win Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kenseth and Edwards exchanged the lead with five laps left in the 300-mile race, but Edwards could not counter Ken-seth's final pass on the inside. Kenseth was filling in for Trevor Bayne, who has been sidelined with an inflammatory condition, in the No. 16 Ford. Edwards, who was running low on fuel, hung on to finish second.

Fellow Sprint Cup regular Kyle Busch was third, failing to tie Mark Martin (49) for the most wins in the Nationwide Series. It was a rough Nationwide debut for former Formula One champion Kimi Raik-konen, who finished four laps down in 27th. He complained about how hot his feet got, but he did not wear heat shields. Busch struggling far back while Keselowski starts from the pole today at Charlotte Associated Press CONCORD, N.C. To hear Kurt Busch talk, his race team is struggling mightily and maybe some behind-the-scenes changes will save the season.

Then there is Brad Keselowski, excited about three weeks of progress that have him enjoying his best stretch yet in NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series. That is the enigma that is Penske Racing right now. Keselowski will start the Coca-Cola 600 from the pole, COCA-COLA 600 while defending race 6 p.m. today winner Busch will go WXIN-59 26th today at Char lotte Motor Speedway. Keselowski doesn't sugarcoat things, and readily admits the NASCAR side of Penske's motorsports operation has areas that need improvement.

But he does it thoughtfully and with an eagerness that good things are coming. Busch is quite the opposite. He is beyond being hopeful, and his assessments and outlook both seem dreary. He's also angry with the media for harping on his in-race radio communications, which have gone from maniacal rants to near despondency over the last month. It's created the good cop-bad cop perception, even though both drivers want the same thing.

"He definitely has a different approach," Keselowski said. "To be honest, if he didn't have that approach, I probably would adopt it because you keep trying different things until you get what you want. I spent all last year being quiet and not saying, 'Hey, this car is really, really bad' to the media. But they were really, really bad. "At the same time, Kurt was running well and I didn't have a leg to stand on with that.

This year, obviously my cars have gotten better. Kurt has had his struggles. But it's somewhat refreshing to have someone that can speak up, have a voice, have the credibility of being a past champion and past winner and those around him perhaps listen more intently." muscle in his right leg with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of Saturday's game between the Giants and Brewers. He was coming out to call a bunt down the third-base line by Carlos Gomez when he made an awkward step short of Gomez's bat. He immediately clutched his lower right calf and knee area.

Wegner, 39, a 12 -year veteran umpire, doubled over, but never went to the ground. Brewers trainer Roger Caplin-ger came out to assist him and he was helped off the field, putting very little pressure on the right leg. The game restarted after a 12-minute delay with second-base umpire Mike Everitt behind the plate. Day-night doubleheader today The Red Sox-Tigers game in Detroit was postponed because of rain Saturday night. The game will be made up in a day-night doubleheader today.

The first game will begin at 1:05 p.m. with Andy Oliver making his first start for the Tigers against Clay Buchholz. The nightcap is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m., featuring aces Josh Beckett for the Red Sox and Justin Verlander for the Tigers. Etc. The Reds called up LHP Jeremy Horst from Triple-A Louisville before Saturday's game against the Braves.

He has never pitched in the major leagues. Cubs CF Marlon Byrd, recovering from facial fractures after being hit near the eye against the Red Sox last weekend, had been consulting specialists. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected for the 55th time in his 10-year career, and third this season, as his team has the majors' worst record. Associated Press After Corey Patterson hit a game-ending homer in the 14th inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-8 victory over visiting Chicago, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was not happy. "I feel like I'm in September right now," the manager said.

"If you ask all my coaches, they feel the same way. And we're not even in June yet." The 24-30 White Sox left 10 men on base, including four in extra innings, and went 5-for-18 with runners in scoring position, leaving Guillen frustrated. Slumping slugger Adam Dunn, who went l-for-7 and popped out in the 11th with men at the corners, didn't fault his fiery manager for showing some emotion. "He's still like a player," Dunn said. "He feels exactly the way we feel when we lose.

I don't have a problem with it at all. If he's not frustrated then he needs to be doing something else because this is awful." Dunn's lone hit was a solid RBI single in the fifth. He also struck out twice as his average dropped to .184. White Sox shortstop Gordon Beckham has a black eye but no broken bones or damaged vision after being hit under the left eye by a throw from the outfield Friday. Beckham said he hopes to return to the lineup by Monday.

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista reached the 20-homer mark in his 44th game, the fastest in team history. George Bell needed 53 games to hit 20 homers in his 1987 MVP season. Barry Bonds has the major-league record of just 39 games. Umpire Wegner injured Home plate umpire Mark Wegner was helped off the field after tearing the calf USAC MIDGETS Rain plagues annual 'Night Before the 500' By Ben Jones ben.jonesindystar.com CLERMONT, Ind. -Rain delayed the start of the USAC Midget "Night Before the 500" by more than two hours on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Raceway.

The race was not complete for this edition of The Star. Go to IndyStar.com for full results. Petri Suvanto, Finland, won the preliminary USF 2000 in decisive fashion, leading 50 of 69 laps after starting on the pole. It was the first race of three at the track Saturday. Luke Ellery took the lead on lap 27 and was able to hold Suvanto off for 19 laps until Ellery's No.

85 JDC MotorSports car wrecked with in the third turn. Suvanto, still in second, re- INDIANS 9, RED SOX 7 Tribe rallies from 7-0 hole GREG GRIFFOThe Star Fans are ready for the start of the USF 2000 series race for midget racers on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Raceway. No. 19 JDC MotorSports car. Call Star reporter Ben Jones at (317) 444-6730.

Follow him at twitter.combw Jones. took the lead. Zach Veach finished second in the No. 7 Andretti Autosport car, followed by Juan Piedrahita in the ball and Harrison followed with an RBI double. Indianapolis got on the board in the fourth on a two-out double by Harrison and a two -run homer by Dusty Brown.

Brian Friday had a sacrifice fly and Harrison scored on a wild pitch to pull the Tribe within 7-4 in the sixth. That was after loading the bases with one out on singles by Andy Marte and Harrison and a walk by Brown. Indianapolis tied the score in the seventh on an RBI double by Harrison, a throwing error by the centerfielder allowing another run to score and a fielder's choice RBI by Friday. Tribe starter Justin Wilson allowed seven runs (six earned) in two innings. Pawtucket took a 1-0 lead in the first on a home run by Hector Luna.

The Red Sox scored six runs in the second, highlighted by Michael McKenry's solo homer and Brent Dlugach's two-run blast. Star report The Indianapolis Indians rallied from a seven-run deficit after two innings Saturday night for a 9-7 victory over the host Pawtucket Red Sox. There were plenty of heroes for the Tribe, starting with relievers Chris Le-roux (four innings), INDIANS Blaine Boyer (one), AT PAWTUCKET Tony Watson (one) 6:05 p.m. today and Cesar Valdez Box score, Cll. (one), who combined to allow just three hits in seven innings.

Josh Harrison was 5-for-5, including three doubles, and two RBIs to spark the offense. "We just wanted to stay in it," Harrison said in a news release from the team." We got down early, but came back with the mentality of chip away, chip away and get as many runs as we can." The Tribe snapped a 7-7 tie in the ninth when Alex Presley scored on a passed INDYSTARCOM.