D-backs halt Rockies, gain NL division series
Paul Goldschmidt and Daniel Descalso homered, and relief pitcher Archie Bradley and A.J. Pollock had two-run triples as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies, 11-8, on Wednesday in the National League wild-card game.
Arizona advances to meet Los Angeles in the best-of-five NL Division Series starting on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Descalso added a two-run shot in the third as Arizona took a 6-0 lead before the Rockies rallied, knocking out Zack Greinke with a four-run fourth inning.
Colorado starter Jon Gray (0-1) lasted only 1-1/3 innings, allowing four runs and seven hits.
Bradley’s two-out triple gave Arizona an 8-5 in the seventh inning after the Rockies closed to within one on Charlie Blackmon’s RBI bunt in the top of the inning.
Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story had bases-empty homers off Bradley in the eighth inning to make it 8-7.
Pollock’s two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth off Greg Holland pushed the lead to 10-7, and Jeff Mathis’ bunt single drove in another run.
Carlos Gonzalez singled home a run in the ninth inning off Fernando Rodney.
Arizona left-hander Andrew Chafin (1-0) retired the only batter he faced in the fourth inning for the victory.
Jake Lamb had four hits, tying a franchise postseason record, and David Peralta and Ketel Marte had three hits apiece for Arizona, making its first playoff appearance since 2011.
Marte had two triples as the Diamondbacks became the first team in playoff history with at least four triples in a game since the Boston Americans had five twice in 1903.
Story, Gonzalez, Gerardo Parra and Jonathan Lucroy had two hits apiece for the Rockies.
Arizona started immediately against Gray, whose two 10-strikeout games this season were both against the Diamondbacks.
Peralta and Marte singled before Goldschmidt homered on the seventh pitch of the first inning for a 3-0 lead.
Goldschmidt ended the regular season in an 0-for-17 slide, and was 0-for-11 against Gray in his career.
Peralta singled and scored on Marte’s triple in the second inning to make it 4-0 and knock out Gray.
Lamb singled and Descalso hit a one-out homer off Tyler Anderson for a 6-0 lead. Descalso has career three postseason homers.
In the fourth inning, Gonzalez, Story and Parra singled for one run. After the second run scored on a groundout, Lucroy and pinch hitter Alexi Amarista had RBIs hits to make it 6-4.
Greinke gave up six hits and four runs in 3-2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one.