The Diamondbacks reliever had his contract purchased from Triple-A Tucson on Saturday, but he had to wait until Monday night before getting into a game. Sitting in the bullpen for three games was more nerve-wracking for him than when he walked to the SBC Park mound.

"It was the best time of my life," Medders said of his one-scoreless-inning stint in which he walked a batter. "It was so much fun. I guess because I was so nervous in the 'pen before I started warming up that once I got up, it felt normal. The last three games, sitting on the bench wondering when I was going to get the call, every time the phone would ring, my heart would stop."

While rehabilitating from last year's surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, Medders worked hard on harnessing his tendency to get too excited before his appearances. That came in handy during his first big league outing.

"I was totally surprised that I felt as calm and under control as I did," the 25-year-old said. "I've always had to work on that. I've always gotten real geared up to pitch.

"I knew I had to go out there and do it. I couldn't be scared. I waited 20 years to be where I'm at now, so there was no sense in going out there scared and nervous. Once you have a better idea of pitching, that kind of relaxes you and you have more confidence. I think I did a good job on the mental part of the game when I was doing my rehab stuff and I couldn't pitch."

Manager Bob Melvin likes to get rookies into games shortly after they arrive so that they can get over their nerves and settle in faster.

"Now he's official," Melvin said. "Once you get that first big league game under your belt and have that out-of-body experience and everything that goes along with it."

Tweaked: Slugger Troy Glaus was out of the starting lineup Tuesday.

The third baseman said that his absence was "just one of those days" and that it wasn't related to the right wrist sprain he suffered Sunday in Cleveland.

His manager, though, had a different take on things, saying that Glaus tweaked the wrist a bit while diving for a ball in the first inning Monday. Glaus appeared to get up slowly after the dive and favor his wrist just a bit.

"He went to the post for us, but he reaggravated it a hair," Melvin said. "Especially against a division rival, you never want to have a guy like Troy out of the game, but we'll pick a spot for him a little bit later [to pinch-hit]."

Alex Cintron, who came into the game hitting .368 in his career against Giants starter Brett Tomko, got the start at third in place of Glaus.

Rest for weary: The Arizona bullpen has received quite a bit of rest of late with starting pitchers working deep into games.

"It's better to have a well-rested 'pen now because come battle time, we're going to need it," closer Brian Bruney said.

Bruney has begun to work a curveball into his repertoire lately thanks to the help of fellow reliever Lance Cormier. Last year, Bruney threw the pitch at times in the Minor Leagues, but not at the big league level, as he relied instead on a slider.

Throwing the curve has helped Bruney stay on top of his fastball better and throw at a downhill plane, something that should make him more effective.

"We'll see which works better and how hitters react to it and kind of go from there," he said.

Pitching coach Mark Davis has told Bruney that he would like to see the closer use the curve with his fastball and changeup and scrap the slider, since it is hard for a pitcher to get the feel for both a slider and a curve coming out of the bullpen.

Up next: Left-hander Brad Halsey will try to rebound from struggles in his last three starts when he takes the ball for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night in the third game of this four-game set against the Giants.

In his last outing, Friday against the Indians, Halsey allowed eight runs (four earned) on six hits in just 2 2/3 innings. Halsey allowed six runs in six innings in each of his two starts before Friday.