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Parra scores on wild pitch, D-Backs top Rockies in 11

Apr 2, 2011 - 2:54 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Gerardo Parra scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Matt Lindstrom in the 11th inning, and the Diamondbacks held on for a 7-6 win over the Rockies in their season opener.

Arizona had runners in scoring position in the ninth and 10th innings, but couldn't bring one home. However, Parra opened the 11th with a single before Lindstrom (0-1) took the mound. After Willie Bloomquist's one-out base hit put runners on the corners, Parra raced home on the errant pitch.

J.J. Putz retired the Rockies in order in the bottom half to secure the victory and earn a save.

"They didn't give up, they played hard the whole game," said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. "If we do that, we'll be fine."

Arizona is coming off a season in which it went 65-97 and finished in last place in the NL West. But the Diamondbacks got 2011 off to a good start Friday with the late rally and a superb effort against Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 2010 and finished third in the NL Cy Young voting.

Jimenez gave up six runs (five earned) in six innings, and the bulk of the damage was done with two swings. Justin Upton hit a three-run homer in the fifth, and Miguel Montero added a two-run shot in the sixth.

Jimenez said he didn't have good command of his pitches.

"I didn't have my breaking ball. I tried to throw the slider, it wasn't there. I threw the split-finger, it stayed hanging every time," Jimenez said.

Bloomquist and Montero both had three hits to lead Arizona's offense, while starter Ian Kennedy allowed four runs (three earned) in six frames.

Jose Lopez went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI for the Rockies, who finished 83-79 last season. It was largely a disappointing result for a Colorado club that went 92-70 and made the playoffs in 2009.

Seth Smith added three hits for Colorado, including a run-scoring double in the first inning. Todd Helton's sacrifice fly later in the frame made it a 2-0 contest.

After Montero and Parra hit consecutive doubles in the second to get Arizona on the board, Dexter Fowler's RBI base hit in the bottom half made it a 3-1 game.

Wild pitches by Kennedy in the first two innings helped Colorado score two of its runs, but he avoided big jams over the next few innings as the Diamondbacks grabbed the lead.

After Upton's homer put Arizona in front, Melvin Mora -- who signed with Arizona in the offseason, along with Putz -- reached on an error by Ty Wigginton in the sixth. Montero followed by ripping a pitch, which Jimenez left over the plate, over the right-center field fence.

The blasts gave Arizona a 6-3 advantage, but Lopez began the bottom half with a homer.

The Rockies tied the game in the seventh thanks to a Montero error. He threw the ball away after a strikeout that would have ended the inning, allowing Carlos Gonzalez to cross the plate from second. Lopez's infield single then brought in Helton, who had moved to third on Montero's error.

Colorado had a chance to move in front in the eighth. With runners on the corners and two outs, Aaron Heilman's pitch got past Montero, but Smith didn't try to score. Heilman then fanned Troy Tulowitzki to end the inning.

Arizona set up a prime scoring opportunity in the 10th. After Upton doubled to lead off, Chris Young hit a ball to right that Smith appeared to catch near the ground. But it was not ruled an out.

A bunt moved the runners into scoring position, but Tulowitzki threw Upton out at the plate and Montero struck out to end the inning. Sam Demel (1-0) held Colorado scoreless in the bottom half.

Game Notes

Kennedy, who made his first Opening Day start, gave up six hits, walked three and struck out three...Jimenez started on Opening Day for the second consecutive season. He allowed seven hits, walked one and fanned one...Bloomquist filled in for regular Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew, who is day-to-day with an abdominal strain...Gonzalez finished with three hits for Colorado.