Jackson able to pinch-hit for D-backs

PITTSBURGH -- Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson, who has been out of the lineup with a strained right quadriceps and has missed the past five games, was listed as available off the bench for the first game of the Pittsburgh series on Friday night.

He was injured [against Washington on May 30] when he leaned back to get out of the way of a pitch. An MRI revealed a small tear. Jackson is batting .301 with six home runs and 35 RBIs.

"Jackson will start on Saturday and is pinch-hit available today," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "We ran him pretty good out here on the field today and tested him at about as high a level as you could test him other than playing in game conditions. He's definitely a pinch-hit batter for me today and he will start on Saturday."

"I feel good," Jackson said. "I'm progressing a little better and I feel like I probably could have been in there today, but I think the consensus was give it another day and get ready for the three lefties that we've got coming up."

"He wants to be in there three days ago," Melvin said. "Today is our only right-hander that we're facing and then three lefties in a row, but it can't hurt to give him one extra day."

Jackson says it's tough to sit, especially because the Diamondbacks had lost 12 of their past 16 games entering Friday night.

"It's tough sitting on the bench especially when we're not scoring runs like we are used to in April," Jackson said. "It's tough and you are just itching to get back out there."