Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 7
DENVER -- The Diamondbacks rallied for three runs off in the ninth inning, capped by pinch hitter Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly, and Arizona beat the Colorado Rockies 8-7 Wednesday night.
Arizona gift-wrapped a four-run fifth when Colorado went ahead 7-5. However, Rockies closer John Axford, who converted each of his previous 12 save opportunities this season, was unable to hold a two-run lead in the ninth.
Axford (1-1) gave up an infield single to left fielder David Peralta to start the inning and walked first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Right fielder Yasmany Tomas singled home a run, giving him a career-high four hits and cutting the Rockies' lead to one run.
Third baseman Jake Lamb flared a single into short center to load the bases for second baseman Chris Owings, who struck out. Axford walked catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a 10-pitch at-bat to force in the tying run.
Hill's fly to center field gave the Diamondbacks an 8-7 lead.
Axford had converted 13 straight save opportunities since he last blew a lead June 24, 2014, at Arizona while pitching for the Cleveland Indians.
Brad Ziegler earned his 11th save, preserving the win for Daniel Hudson (2-2), who worked the eighth.
The Diamondbacks overcame an early three-run deficit, then took a 5-3 lead in the fifth on Goldschmidt's 20th homer, a two-run shot off Colorado starter David Hale.
Arizona's lead was short-lived, as starter Allen Webster and reliever Randall Delgado faltered in the fifth.
The Rockies scored two unearned runs in the first due to throwing errors by Webster and shortstop Nick Ahmed. However, that inning was quiet and orderly compared with the three-single, three-walk chaos courtesy of Webster and Delgado in the fifth.
Center fielder Charlie Blackmon led off with a single and stole second and third while second baseman DJ LeMahieu was in the process of striking out.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki walked, ending Webster's outing and paving the way for Delgado, who gave up two singles and two walks to the four batters he faced and threw nine of 20 pitches for strikes. He allowed run-scoring singles to third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Wilin Rosario and walked catcher Nick Hundley with the bases loaded.
Hundley hit his sixth homer of the season in the second, extending the Rockies' lead to 3-0.
Arizona finished with 13 hits, including two apiece from Lamb and Ahmed. Blackmon and Rosario each had two of the Rockies' eight hits.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 46 minutes by rain. ... Colorado RHP Rafael Betancourt (vertigo) threw 31 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday. He is scheduled to be activated Friday at San Francisco for the start of a weekend series. ... Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez (mild left hand sprain) was not in the lineup for the second straight game, though he appeared as a defensive replacement. ... Diamondbacks RF Yasmany Tomas was back in the lineup. He was scratched Tuesday after he felt the effects of altitude and was dehydrated. ... Diamondbacks RHP Jeremy Hellickson is on schedule to make his next start Saturday at San Diego. He was hit in the back with a pitch and then tweaked his back while taking a swing in his last start Sunday. He threw his regular between-starts bullpen session and underwent an MRI exam Wednesday that revealed no damage.