May 11--Doctors have warned Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Doug Davis he might feel fatigued as he recovers from thyroid cancer.

Davis keeps waiting to "crash." It hasn't happened.

Two days after tests revealed he is cancer-free, Davis felt healthy after throwing 4 2/3 innings in the first of possibly two rehab starts with the Tucson Sidewinders. The 32-year-old left-hander allowed two runs and six hits, struck out three and walked one. He met his scheduled total of 85 pitches, 50 for strikes.

Memphis beat the Sidewinders 7-2.

Davis' recovery has been right on schedule; he was scheduled to be out for four to six weeks after undergoing surgery April 10 to remove his thyroid.

"I couldn't ask for anything more, and the way I feel right now, I can't tell you how relieved I am," he said. "I didn't think I was going to be feeling this good. I feel like I never even crashed. I feel like I never felt bad."

Davis said the only time he felt fatigued was when he was on the base paths after drawing a four-pitch walk in the third -- and that's normal for him. His change-up was his only pitch not working -- and again, that's normal, he said.

"I don't feel any different than when I started the last game against L.A. (April 8)," he said. "I just want to get back as soon as I can, but not too soon to where it jeopardizes my health. I just want to make sure everybody's comfortable with me coming back."

Davis said he expects to throw about 100 pitches Thursday or Friday with Tucson at Tacoma.

"Location-wise, he was better than I was hoping he'd be," pitching coach Mike Parrott said. "Usually, location is the first thing that suffers when you haven't pitched that long. He looked very sharp, like he's been pitching the whole time."

Davis' overall recovery has gone smoothly. He began throwing three days after surgery and only refrained from throwing for three days after he took an iodine radiation pill that kills any remaining cancer. In his first outing after surgery, he threw 65 pitches during a simulated game Monday at Chase Field.

"I feel like, even when I was radioactive, I could go out there and play catch, but nobody would play catch with me. I don't blame them," Davis laughed. "I just stayed in my house and recovered."

Davis exited in the fifth after allowing a two-out single up the middle and a walk. Memphis scored after pitcher P.J. Walters' leadoff double, a groundout and the single.

"I just wish I showed up a little bit stronger in that last inning, made a better pitch to the pitcher or blocked that ball up the middle," Davis said.

Davis allowed a run in the first after two singles, a wild pitch and a groundout.

"He looked real healthy," manager Bill Plummer said. "This is a real positive outing for him."

Inside pitch

--Diamondbacks infielder Chad Tracy missed his second straight rehabilitation game because of an illness.

TODAY

--What: Memphis at Sidewinders

--When: 6 p.m.

--Radio: 1450-AM

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