ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott Kazmir is trying to keep his success in perspective.
Tampa Bay's 22-year-old left-hander took a two-hitter into the eighth inning and beat the Diamondbacks 4-1 Thursday, becoming the youngest pitcher to win nine games this early in the season since Tom Gordon and John Smoltz in 1989.
Kazmir (9-4) won 10 games as a rookie last year and has emerged as the leader of a young pitching staff.
"My goal was to come in here this season and work and continue to get better," Kazmir said.
So far, so good.
Only Detroit's Kenny Rogers and the New York Mets' Tom Glavine have more victories (10) among major-league pitchers.
Kazmir limited the Diamondbacks to Conor Jackson's second-inning double and Chad Tracy's seventh-inning single before Johnny Estrada led off the eighth with his sixth homer of the season.
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"I felt like everything was right with my delivery. I felt like I could attack the strike zone," Kazmir said. "I felt like everything was in place and I was getting a good feel on every pitch."
Kazmir struck out eight and walked two in 7 1/2 innings, helping the last-place Devil Rays sweep a series for the third time this season.
Shawn Camp replaced Kazmir in the eighth. Brian Meadows pitched the ninth to finish a combined three-hitter and earn his second save.
Arizona has lost 15 of 17 to fall below .500 (36-37) for the first time since it was 12-13 on April 30. The Diamondbacks were a season-high 12 games over (34-22) before beginning their current slide.
Arizona remained the only club that has never beaten Tampa Bay.
Aubrey Huff had an RBI single in the fourth and a two-run homer in the sixth — both off Edgar Gonzalez (0-1). Ty Wigginton finished a three-run sixth with an RBI single that made it 4-0.
The Diamondbacks have been outscored 120-51 during their skid.
"It's troubling for us to be offensively this bad for this long of a stretch," manager Bob Melvin said.
"Guys are just trying too hard. We're having a difficult time relaxing up there."
Gonzalez, recalled from Triple-A Tucson before the game, has lost 10 consecutive decisions dating to 2004, when he was 0-9 in 10 starts. He allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked none.
Inside pitch
● To make room for Gonzalez, right-hander Casey Daigle was optioned to Tucson.
Daigle had been recalled Wednesday when outfielder Scott Hairston was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury.
