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Five-run ninth inning lifts Arizona over Cubs

Apr 24, 2014 - 1:23 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Aaron Hill capped a five-run, ninth-inning rally with a two-run triple, to help Arizona claim a 7-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the third edition of a four-game series.

Martin Prado contributed a two-run single and Miguel Montero added an RBI hit during the deciding frame for the Diamondbacks, who halted a four-game slide that included the first two games in this series.

Trevor Cahill (1-4) turned in two innings of scoreless relief for the win, while Addison Reed followed suit in the ninth to close out the contest and earn his fourth save.

"Finally, we got something to go our way. We finally got something that gave us a little bit of a sign and hope and we took advantage," Montero said. "It was a great comeback and we battled. The ninth inning, we battled every at- bat, everybody put good at-bats together and we capitalized."

Justin Ruggiano's two-run shot in the sixth provided a seemingly-safe three- run cushion for the Cubs, who failed to thrill the home crowd on Wrigley Field's 100th birthday celebration. Emilio Bonifacio and Darwin Barney also drove in a run each.

Pedro Strop (0-2) was on the hook for four runs, but one earned, while recording only two outs in defeat.

Down by three, the visitors loaded the bases against Strop in the ninth on a walk to Chris Owings, an error on a fielder's choice grounder by Tony Campana and a base on balls issued to pinch-hitter Eric Chavez. Gerardo Parra fanned, but Prado bounced a ball off the second-base bag to score two. Paul Goldschmidt went down swinging, and James Russell came on to allow a game- tying single to Montero.

"That was a weird inning," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I've never seen a ball hit the corner of the bag on the ground ball. That's a first for me."

Justin Grimm entered the game, and Ruggiano then misplayed a looper down the right-field line into a triple by Hill, which scored two and gave the D-Backs a 7-5 edge.

Reed followed by retiring the Cubs in order.

Arizona scratched out a run in the second, as Montero walked, Hill singled, a Cody Ross fielder's choice grounder left runners on the corners and Montero scored on an Owings grounder.

Chicago moved ahead in the fifth. Mike Olt singled, moved up on a wild pitch and went to third on a Welington Castillo base hit. Goldschmidt's wild throw on a Barney sacrifice attempt scored Olt, then Jeff Samardzija's sac fly plated the go-ahead run and Barney made it 3-1 when he came in on Bonifacio's grounder to second.

The D-Backs got one in the sixth as Goldschmidt singled with one out, went to second on a two-out hit from Hill and scored when Ross followed with a base hit.

Anthony Rizzo reached with a leadoff walk in the home sixth and Ruggiano deposited a pitch into the basket in right-center for a 5-2 Chicago edge.

Samardzija turned in a spotless seventh and departed in the eighth with Goldschmidt at second on a double and Montero at first on a walk. Hector Rondon induced a fielder's choice grounder by Hill which left runners on first and second, then got Ross on a fly to center.

Game Notes

Both clubs donned replica uniforms from the Federal League of 1914, with Arizona taking the Kansas City Packers and Chicago wearing the Packers' duds ... Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley allowed four hits and five runs -- three earned -- with seven strikeouts and three walks over five-plus frames ... Samardzija lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on seven hits ... Ruggiano left the game immediately after the play in the ninth, with an apparent lower-body injury, escorted by a pair of trainers.