Prado heating up after some motherly love

PHOENIX -- Martin Prado has been heating up at the plate of late after a tough start to the season.

In his last seven games, Prado has hit .409 with an on-base plus slugging mark of 1.318.

"He's swinging the bat good," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "Hopefully history is going to repeat itself."

The history Gibson is referring to is how Prado heated up last season after a slow start.

Prado hasn't changed his swing, but he has been a little more aggressive in his approach, picking a spot when he'll jump on a pitch earlier in an at-bat than usual.

Prado hit his first home run of the season on Tuesday and followed up with another the next day.

During his struggles Prado received no shortage of advice, including some from his mother, who will be coming to town next week, but has been talking to him regularly on the phone.

"She's always trying to fix my swing," Prado said. "I said, 'Mom, you don't know anything about my swing.' She always has the right words to make me feel better and to help me understand clearly. Even when I struggle, she still thinks I'm the best."

Except when it comes to his swing, of course.

"She told me two days ago she was watching one of our games and, 'It looks like you're too close to home plate. You should separate from home plate,'" Prado said. "I said, 'Mom, I was separate from home plate, now I'm getting closer to home plate."