Guardians 4 - 6 Diamondbacks
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Pena's homer caps wild win for D'Backs

Jun 29, 2011 - 5:32 AM

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Wily Mo Pena continued to justify his call up from the minors, hitting a game-winning two-run homer in the ninth inning Tuesday to lift the Diamondbacks to a 6-4 victory over Cleveland.

Pinch hitting with two outs, Pena knocked Tony Sipp's 0-1 slider over the wall in left field for his third homer since being called up from Triple-A Reno last Tuesday.

"They just told me, you're hitting," said Pena. "I just said I'll go and look for a breaking pitch. Everybody saw the first swing I took. It was so hard because I was looking for a breaking pitch, so the second one, I stepped up and [said]: 'Let him bring it up,' and that's what happened. He just put it a little bit up and I just came and got it."

The blast capped a wild finish that started when Arizona took a 4-2 lead on RBI singles from Kelly Johnson and Justin Upton in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Carlos Santana then hit a two-run homer off Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Pena's homer made a winner out of Alberto Castillo (1-0), who got the final out in relief of Putz.

Daniel Hudson threw eight strong innings and hit an RBI double for the Diamondbacks, but was denied his 10th win of the season because of Santana's blast. Hudson allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five.

Indians starter Josh Tomlin worked seven innings and was 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI. He left with a 2-2 tie after giving up five hits and striking out four.

"I felt OK," said Tomlin. "I was just happy and fortunate enough to ... give our bullpen a little break. I was happy with that. I felt in that situation, you have to pitch right there and try and get some runs."

Sipp (3-1) took the loss in one full inning after coming in during the eighth.

After reaching on a bunt single in Cleveland's one-run third inning, Tomlin hit an RBI single in the fifth that made it 2-0. Not to be outdone, Hudson doubled off his fellow starter in the fifth to score Arizona's first run.

Johnson led off the sixth with his 13th homer of the season to tie the game at 2-2.

His RBI single in the eighth came against Rafael Perez, who was charged with both runs in the inning. Joe Smith surrendered Upton's hit for a 4-2 Arizona lead.

Putz walked Orlando Cabrera to start the ninth, then got Asdrubal Cabrera on a fly out. But Santana curled a 1-0 fastball around the right field pole to tie the game at 4-4. Putz fanned Grady Sizemore and allowed a double to Travis Buck before Castillo came in to strike out Lonnie Chisenhall.

Ryan Roberts drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth. Sipp retired pinch-hitters Xavier Nady and Willie Bloomquist before giving up Pena's walkoff homer. Roberts was on third by virtue of a pair of steals before he scored the eventual winning run.

It was the second thrilling finish in as many days. The Indians won the opener, 5-4, on Monday after Orlando Cabrera hit a solo homer in the ninth.

Game Notes

Tomlin has pitched at least five innings in all of his 28 major league starts, tying Daisuke Matsuzaka for the major league record. Matsuzaka set the mark in 2007 with Boston. Tomlin had his first two career hits and became the first Indians pitcher with an RBI since CC Sabathia on June 21, 2008 at the Los Angeles Dodgers...The Indians are 1-4 on a nine-game road trip...Arizona snapped a three-game losing streak...Hudson hasn't lost since May 12.






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