Diamondbacks defeat Angels, 7-6

Arizona 7, Angels 6
Tempe, Ariz.

AT THE PLATE: Juan Rivera lined a two-run shot over the left-field wall in the fifth inning for his first spring homer, Howie Kendrick knocked in runs with a double in the first inning and a single in the second, and leadoff batter Maicer Izturis tripled, singled and drove in a run. Kendrick is now batting .346 (nine for 26) with seven runs batted in this spring.

ON THE MOUND: Joe Saunders said he threw more quality strikes with his off-speed pitches during a four-inning stint in which the left-hander gave up one run and five hits, walked two and struck out none. “My arm felt awesome,� said Saunders, who gave up four runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings in his first start last Friday. “I felt good, and the command was there for the most part.� Reliever Matt Palmer was roughed up for four runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.

EXTRA BASES: Francisco Rodriguez, the minor league right-hander with the same name as the former Angels closer, struck out Evan Frey on a full-count pitch with the bases loaded to end the seventh inning. … Erick Aybar, unable to play shortstop because of forearm tightness, was hitless in two at-bats as designated hitter.

UP NEXT:The Angels are off Thursday but will resume Cactus League action Friday when Joel Pineiro opposes Milwaukee’s Jeff Suppan in a 1 p.m. game in Phoenix.

-- Mike DiGiovanna