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 The Diamondbacks were 0-29 when they trailed after eight innings,
and they faced a formidable task in the ninth, trailing by two runs
against closer John Axford, who was 12-for-12 on save opportunities
this year.
However, pinch hitter Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly capped a three-run
rally that was brimming with good fortune. The late surge rendered
moot a fifth inning in which Arizona gift-wrapped four runs and
Colorado went ahead 7-5.
The game-winning rally began with a slow roller by left fielder
David Peralta to third base for an infield single. Axford walked
first baseman Paul Goldschmidt before right fielder Yasmany Tomas,
who had a career-high four hits, knocked a soft single to left,
cutting the Rockies' lead to one run.
Third baseman Jake Lamb flared a single into short center to load
the bases for second baseman Chris Owings, who struck out. Axford
walked catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a 10-pitch plate appearance
to force in the tying run.
Hill's fly to center field gave the Diamondbacks an 8-7 lead.
"There were some scratch hits there," Arizona manager Chip Hale
said. "The ball Peralta hit was almost like a swinging bunt. And two
bloopers. You got to get lucky sometimes."
Hale called Saltalamacchia's walk "unbelievable," which was
certainly an apt description.
"It was one of those at-bats where you definitely aren't trying to
do too much," Saltalamacchia said. "You got bases loaded, one out,
so you just want to put the ball in play. But you got a guy who
throws 96 (mph) with a good slider, so you got to see pitches.
Thankfully, I was able to foul some good pitches off and work it to
where he threw balls."
Axford said of his confrontation with Saltalamacchia, "I had to take
a few extra deep breaths and try to gather myself. That's a mentally
tough grind, that one, and physically tough."
Axford last blew a save exactly one year ago on June 14, 2014, at
Arizona while pitching for Cleveland. In this outing, he ended up
throwing 32 pitches to get two outs. LaTroy Hawkins came in after
Hill's sacrifice fly to end the inning.
"I've had a lot of good things happen, for me personally this year,
a lot of luck," Axford said. "Whatever I've had this season
obviously wasn't there tonight. I felt great. ... It was one the
hardest save opportunities I've ever gone out to try and get the way
things started off, that's for sure."
Brad Ziegler earned his 11th save, preserving the win for Daniel
Hudson (2-2), who worked the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth,
Ziegler set the side down in order on eight pitches.
"I didn't want to walk anybody, put a tying run on base, give them
any momentum," Ziegler said. "Just go out there and throw strikes
and trust that defense."
The Diamondbacks overcame an early three-run deficit, then took a
5-3 lead in the fifth on Goldschmidt's 20th homer, a two-run shot
off Colorado starter David Hale.
Arizona's lead was short-lived, as starter Allen Webster and
reliever Randall Delgado faltered in the fifth.
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The Rockies scored two unearned runs in the first due to throwing
errors by Webster and shortstop Nick Ahmed. However, that inning was
quiet and orderly compared with the three-single, three-walk chaos
courtesy of Webster and Delgado in the fifth.
Center fielder Charlie Blackmon led off with a single and stole
second and third while second baseman DJ LeMahieu was in the process
of striking out.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki walked, ending Webster's outing and paving
the way for Delgado, who gave up two singles and two walks to the
four batters he faced and threw nine of 20 pitches for strikes. He
allowed run-scoring singles to third baseman Nolan Arenado and first
baseman Wilin Rosario and walked catcher Nick Hundley with the bases
loaded.
"Randall's been so good at coming in leaving inherited runners on
base," Hale said. "He just struggled tonight. You got to throw
strikes. You walk people in this ballpark, it's death."
Axford discovered that hard truth in the ninth.
"The first hit (by Peralta), we had a little bit of a shift on,"
Axford said. "It was just perfect placement. A ground ball that
found its way through the hole, another bloop. Two walks between
that obviously aren't going to help."
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 46 minutes by rain. ...
Colorado RHP Rafael Betancourt (vertigo symptoms) threw 31 pitches
in a bullpen session Tuesday. He is scheduled to be activated Friday
at San Francisco for the start of a weekend series. ... Rockies RF
Carlos Gonzalez (mild left hand sprain) was not in the lineup for
the second straight game, though he entered as a defensive
replacement in the eighth inning ... Diamondbacks RF Yasmany Tomas
was back in the lineup and went 4-for-5. He was scratched Tuesday
after he felt the effects of altitude and was dehydrated. ...
Diamondbacks RHP Jeremy Hellickson is on schedule to make his next
start Saturday at San Diego. He was hit in the back with a pitch and
then tweaked his back while taking a swing in his last start Sunday.
He threw his regular between-starts bullpen session and underwent an
MRI exam Wednesday that revealed no damage.
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