Eric Byrnes made a proclamation after his 14-game hitting streak ended Sunday: "I'm declaring 2008 the year of the mustache," Byrnes said.
Byrnes stopped shaving his upper lip the day his hitting streak started April 4 in Colorado, although he said it was gone "two minutes" after his streak was stopped in an 0-for-4 day in a 9-4 loss to San Diego. But he said he will begin to grow a mustache after every game in which he gets a hit this season.
Byrnes was 21-for-62 (.339) with nine doubles during the streak, which propelled him to second in the National League in doubles. He also drew nine walks during the streak. It was the fourth-longest hitting streak of his career.
"It was a good run. You guys have not seen the last of the 'stache. I'm going with the 'stache all year. I actually was starting to like it. It was starting to grow on me," Byrnes said.
The trend caught on in the D-Backs' clubhouse ?- Chris Burke wore a five-day growth Sunday, telling Byrnes that when the streak reached 10, he would join. Bench coach Kirk Gibson also sported a mustache over the weekend.
PADRES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 4: Randy Johnson gave up one hit and one run while striking out six in five innings before San Diego spoiled his second start of the season with five runs in the sixth inning, three on Justin Huber's first major league home run. Conor Jackson had three hits, his third multi-hit game in the last six games, and scored twice, although Eric Byrnes' 14-game hitting streak was halted. The D-Backs committed an error that led to two unearned runs in the sixth, the second time Johnson's defense has hurt him in two starts. In 10 2/3 innings, he has given up nine runs, but only four earned.
