Diamondbacks 10 - 7 Rockies
Final
  for this game

Hill helps D'Backs slip past Rockies

Sep 24, 2012 - 5:56 AM

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Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Aaron Hill's three-run homer broke a tie-game in the eighth and the Arizona Diamondbacks downed the Colorado Rockies, 10-7, to take the third edition of a four-game set.

Before Hill's blast off Matt Belisle (3-8), pinch-hitter Mike Jacobs delivered a game-tying RBI single for the Diamondbacks, who have won six of seven and remain 4 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final wild card spot.

"Aaron's just been so steady," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "It's good to have him in the two-hole. I did have a lineup today where I was going to put him down fifth, but he's been so clutch for us that you want him to get that extra at-bat."

Matt Albers (3-1) positioned himself for the victory after pitching a scoreless seventh. A.J. Pollock's RBI groundout and Jake Elmore's two-run single in the ninth helped pad the Diamondbacks' lead, while Cody Ransom, Ryan Wheeler and Wil Nieves added an RBI each earlier in the game.

J.J. Putz relieved Takashi Saito in the ninth to lock down his 32nd save of the season. Saito gave up a two-run double to Tyler Colvin and an RBI-single to D.J. LeMahieu to make it a three-run game.

Colorado has now lost a season-high nine straight games.

"It's another great effort. Unfortunately in the eighth inning we did not get the people out that we needed to get out," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.

After inheriting a three-run lead, Ian Kennedy allowed Colorado to tie the game in the fifth and grab the lead in the sixth. After giving up singles to Matt McBride and Josh Rutledge, McBride came around to score on Charlie Blackmon's base hit. Jordan Pacheco plated Rutledge with a ground ball single and Wilin Rosario doubled to left to bring home Blackmon and tie the game at three.

Blackmon drove in another run in the sixth to give Colorado the lead, ending Kennedy's day. He pitched six innings and was charged with four runs on nine hits. He struck out six.

Jeff Francis lasted just four innings for the Rockies. He gave up RBI singles to Ransom and Nieves in the second and then walked Wheeler with the bases loaded in fifth to give Arizona a 3-0 lead.

Game Notes

The last time the Rockies lost nine-straight games was last Sept.15-23 ... Arizona is undefeated in Kennedy's last nine Sept. starts dating back to last season ... The Diamondbacks will seek a four-game sweep of the Rockies on Monday.






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