Josh Whitesell has hit a season-best .392 in July and leads the Sidewinders with 18 homers and 72 RBIs. The first baseman also has improved his overall batting average from .280 to .303 since June 30.

JILL TORRANCE / arizona daily star 2008

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Now that Jamie D'Antona has headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks, expect Josh Whitesell to spark the Tucson Sidewinders' offense.

Whitesell, the everyday first baseman, has raised his average to .303 from .280 since June30. He went 2 for 4 with a two-run single and a double in Tucson's 10-7 win over the PCL-best Iowa Cubs (62-43) on Wednesday night. The Sidewinders rallied for seven runs in the seventh inning.

"I'm trying to stay consistent day-in and day-out," said Whitesell, who has hit a season-best .392 in July and leads the club with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs. "I try not to put too much pressure or do too much."

Prone to strikeouts, Whitesell has been keeping his bat in the strike zone longer, allowing him to make more consistent contact, hitting coach Joel Youngblood said.

"I don't think he has as many holes (in his swing) as he had before," Youngblood said. "He's able to hit the low, inside pitch."

Whitesell leads the team with 107 strikeouts, as well as 50 walks.

"Sometimes I feel like I strike out five times a day," he said. "Sometimes I'll go a week and I'll maybe strike out once or twice. I'm not exactly sure what's going on with that, other than I just have to work hard to keep improving every day."

Both Whitesell and Youngblood said they have become more comfortable working together during Whitesell's first season in the D-backs' organization. Arizona acquired him in March after the Washington Nationals placed him on waivers.

"Not everybody is the same, and hitting is such a difficult thing," Whitesell said. "There's so many different ways to express it. It just takes a while to get on the same page and be able to work and make those improvements."

In his second outing since coming off the DL on Saturday, former D-backs first-rounder Max Scherzer struck out one, walked one and allowed no hits in two scoreless innings Wednesday.

"He slowed down a lot more, threw the ball much better, more consistent," Sidewinders manager Bill Plummer said. "It's almost like starting over after you miss a month. He's gradually going, baby steps, to get himself back."

He had allowed two runs in one-third of an inning Sunday in his first appearance since going on the DL on June 18 for shoulder inflammation.

● Outfielder Jeff Salazar left the game because of quadriceps tightness. The team said he is day-to-day.

● The D-backs' Juan Cruz, who is on the DL with an oblique injury, is expected to pitch on a rehab assignment with Tucson on Friday and possibly Sunday or Monday, Plummer said.

● Closer Reid Mahon allowed his first runs as a Sidewinder — a three-run home run in the eighth. He had thrown 9 2/3 scoreless innings. He then threw a scoreless ninth.

● Reliever Connor Robertson rejoined Tucson after the Diamondbacks optioned him Tuesday. He threw a scoreless seventh inning.

● The Sidewinders are not expected to add a position player in the immediate future to replace D'Antona, who ranked second in the PCL with a .367 average.

● Catcher Matt Morgan is day-to-day with a knot in his shoulder.