O'Brien returns to Reno with flourish

Summoned to the Major Leagues on Friday, Peter O'Brien got just one at-bat against live pitching over four days. Back in the Pacific Coast League, he showed the quiet spell hadn't knocked him off track.

The D-backs' seventh-ranked prospect powered three doubles and matched a season high with three RBIs on Tuesday night, helping Triple-A Reno outslug Las Vegas, 10-6, at Greater Nevada Field.

"I think I was seeing the ball well tonight," O'Brien said. "I feel like I had a good approach and I stuck to it. These last three or four days, I didn't really get any game action or anything like that, so it was kind of just nice to get away. It was almost like a little mini-All-Star Break, I guess, just a couple days off. I could focus on what I want to do at the plate and on defense. It was nice to be able to put that approach into effect tonight and see it work how it did."

Arizona called O'Brien to The Show to help solidify an outfield beset by injuries, but once up, O'Brien didn't find his name on the lineup card for any starts. The 25-year-old made one pinch-hitting appearance Friday before returning to the PCL.

"I think it actually helps that I was in big league camp last year and was called up in September," he said. "I was in big league camp all year this year, so I'm comfortable with all the guys on the staff and I'm comfortable playing at that ballpark there. I definitely don't think it's a nervousness or anything like that, getting settled in. The travel was kind of tough, so it probably took me a day to get comfortable."

O'Brien wasted little time getting back into his groove with the Aces. The University of Miami product drove in a run with a groundout in the first, then doubled to left field in his second at-bat and followed with an RBI double to center in the fifth inning. He drove another double to left to plate a run in the seventh.

The three doubles gave O'Brien 27 extra-base hits on the season, four behind PCL leader Hunter Renfroe of El Paso. His teammates fed off of having their big bat back in the middle of the lineup, totaling 15 hits and going 7-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

"We've got a great group of guys," O'Brien said. "It really has been one of the best teams I've ever been on. I've been on some pretty fun teams, but everybody is just so unselfish here. We all pull for the next guy. We know if we don't get it done, there's a guy behind you who's going to get it done. I really think that makes us have some good ABs and just go out there and have some fun."

Making his fourth straight start in left, O'Brien extended his errorless streak to 34 games. The converted catcher has started to feel at home in the outfield in addition to his work at first base.

"I feel great out there," he said. "I think being in the outfield for a year puts a little bit more athleticism under my belt, running around a little bit, not having to squat up and down all day.

"I pretty much go all-out my first group in BP. I usually hit in the second group, so I treat [the first group] like it's a game. I try to run every ball down. I try to get behind every ball like someone's tagging up. I think taking those reps at game speed has really helped me get some good reads and be comfortable out there."

Knowing how close a Major League promotion is at any given moment gave the 2012 second-round pick perspective on a successful night like Tuesday.

"I think there's definitely some motivation in there," he said. "I think there's a lot of confidence, too, knowing that you belong and seeing the competition that's up there. Knowing that you will be there one day, I think it helps you out with that mindset. Going out there, playing every day, being an everyday big leaguer really is right around the corner, hopefully."