Rookie Upton Dazzles in AZ Loss

19-year-old comes single short of cycle against rejuvenated Gorzelanny
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:49 AM CDT
Rookie Upton Dazzles in AZ Loss
PIttsburgh Pirates' Ronny Paulino, right, is congratulated by teammate Tom Gorzelanny (24) after scoring on a double by Jack Wilson against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)   (Associated Press)

In his first home game, soon-to-be-20 Justin Upton tripled, homered, and doubled, before narrowly grounding out in the 9th to miss the cycle.  All told, he had three of the four hits against a resurgent Tom Gorzelanny, the young Pirates ace who had stumbled in his last three outings but easily got the 8-3 win.

The Arizona Republic's Joseph A. Reaves proposes a comparison between Upton and—why not—Hank Aaron, the newly deposed home run champion, citing Upton's "smooth swing, his seemingly effortless glide around the bases, his upright, relaxed stance at the plate." At the same time, Reaves hastens to add, "let's not get carried away." (More Arizona Diamondbacks stories.)

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