Parra working hard to perfect his bunting

By Anthony Fenech / MLB.com | 05/22/11

PHOENIX -- On Saturday night, D-Backs left-fielder Gerardo Parra reached base twice on bunt singles.

The first bunt he'd done before, as he placed it perfectly down the third base line as Chris Young scored on a squeeze play from third in the sixth inning.

The second, though, he hadn't, as he popped a bunt over a pinched-in Danny Valencia in the eighth inning.

"First time I've seen it happen," Parra said. "I bunted it too hard and it looked like a fly ball, but it was a base hit so that was good for me."

D-Backs manager Kirk Gibson said utilizing the bunt is something on which the 24-year-old Parra has worked hard.

"We've been working on it since spring training," he said. "And Parra's probably been working on it as much as anybody."

Parra has three bunt hits on the season.

"Sometimes it's good to drop a bunt depending on the pitcher," he said. "You look to see how he moves."