Diamondbacks triumph to earn playoff berth against Dodgers

LOS ANGELES: The Arizona Diamondbacks withstood a fierce late rally from the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday to win their National League wildcard playoff duel 11-7 and advance to a meeting with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Back-to-back home runs from Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story in the top of the eighth inning saw the Rockies claw their way back to within one run of the D-Backs at 8-7.

But A.J. Pollock’s triple for Arizona in the bottom of the eighth allowed J.D Martinez and Jake Lamb to score and gave the Diamondbacks’ breathing space at 10-7.

Pollock then scored after Jeff Mathis reached base on a bunt off pitcher Greg Holland to put the Diamondbacks 11-7 ahead.

The Rockies clawed a run back after Carlos Gonzalez’s single saw Ian Desmond score in the top of the ninth but it was not enough.

Arizona will now advance to a NL bestof-five playoff series against the Dodgers, who had the best record in the major leagues this season, with game one on Friday.

Earlier, Arizona seized a 3-0 lead in the first inning as David Peralta and Ketel Marte singled before Paul Goldschmidt smashed a three-run homer, blasting a hanging curve ball from Colorado righthander Jon Gray over the left-field wall.

The Diamondbacks boosted their margin to 4-0 in the second inning when Peralta singled and scored on a triple to the center field wall by Dominican shortstop Marte, prompting Colorado to remove Gray from the mound.

Daniel Descalso blasted a two-run homer to the rightfield stands in the third inning to stretch Arizona’s edge to 6-0.

The Rockies finally responded in the fourth when Arenado reached on a fielder’s choice, took second on Story’s single and scored on Gerardo Parra’s single to centerfield.