D’backs unleash triple threat, reach NLDS
PHOENIX — Three bags, four times.
And you wouldn't believe who got in on all the fun for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Spirited reliever Archie Bradley hit a stunning triple in the seventh inning, driving in two runs with one of four three-baggers by Arizona that sent the Diamondbacks past the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the National League WildCard Game Wednesday night.
Paul Goldschmidt launched an early threerun homer and the Diamondbacks built a 6-0 lead before ace Zack Greinke faltered. Colorado climbed back into it and cut it to 8-7 when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story hit back-to-back homers in the eighth off Bradley, perhaps exhausted from hustling around the bases and shouting in excitement to giddy teammates.
But then A.J. Pollock knocked in two runs with Arizona's fourth triple, this one off closer Greg Holland, as the Diamondbacks scored three times in their half of the eighth to finally put away a wild game.
“That's one of the best games I've ever been a part of, if not the best,” Goldschmidt said.
Arizona moved on to a best-of-five Division Series against the NL West champion Dodgers, a team the Diamondbacks beat the last six times they played. Game 1 is Friday in L.A.
“It's what we've done the whole year: We respond,” Bradley said. “This group is special and I'm just happy to be moving on.”
Arizona became the first team with four triples in a postseason game since the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) twice hit five during the first World Series back in 1903 against Pittsburgh.
It was that kind of crazy night in the desert as the two NL West foes slugged it out. Daniel Descalso also homered for the Diamondbacks, and Ketel Marte tripled twice.
“We know how tough these guys are. We play ’em all the time,” Goldschmidt said. “Every time we scored, we just said, ‘We've got to get more, we've got to get more.’ ”
Bradley, a setup man who was recruited to play quarterback at Oklahoma, went 1 for 4 at the plate this season to raise his career batting average to .098.
With two outs in the seventh, he drove a 3-1 pitch from Pat Neshek to deep left-center to give Arizona an 8-5 cushion.
It was his first extra-base in the majors and the first triple by a reliever in postseason history. Already a fan favorite for his bushy beard and high-energy work in the late innings, Bradley regrouped from the two solo homers he gave up to get the final two outs of the eighth with the Diamondbacks clinging to a one-run lead.
Fernando Rodney allowed a run in the ninth before closing it out as Arizona won in its first playoff game since 2011.
Jake Lamb tied a Diamondbacks postseason record with four hits, all singles, and scored three times.
Umatilla’s Jonathan Lucroy doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in one for the Rockies in their first playoff appearance since 2009.
Marte, who came to Arizona with pitcher Taijuan Walker from Seattle for Jean Segura in an offseason deal, became the first player to triple twice in a postseason game since Mariano Duncan did it for Philadelphia against Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS.