Diamondbacks stop skid with 12th-inning win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES – Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson sensed frustration out of his second baseman, so in the late innings on Friday night he told Aaron Hill something he tells his players somewhat regularly during games.
Gibson told him he was going to deliver the game-winning hit.
"I don't know if I believed him at the time," a smiling Hill said after his two-run single in the 12th inning helped make 4-2 winners of the Diamondbacks, who snapped a six-game losing skid at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.
"He knew I was frustrated a little bit. It just picked me up a little bit. I appreciated it."
This was a night with a lot of pick-me-ups, from Hill's big hit to Wade Miley's start to newly minted reliever Trevor Cahill's first career save. The Diamondbacks needed it all to improve to 5-14 and beat the Dodgers for the first time in six games this season.
"It's been a while since we played a game like that," Gibson said. "We played good."
Watch:Hill's game-winning single
Hill isn't the only Diamondbacks player to be getting fed up with his team's current state of affairs. The starting rotation has been in shambles. The lineup couldn't deliver big hits. Even the bullpen had been coughing up leads at inopportune times.
Their performance on Friday night wasn't perfect – closer Addison Reed had his second (and the Diamondbacks' fourth) blown save of the season – but in many ways this was the kind of game they expect out of themselves every night.
And they did it against a Dodgers team that beat them twice in Australia before sweeping them at Chase Field last weekend.
"We played solid," said catcher Miguel Montero, who gave the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead in the sixth with a solo shot off Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke.
"We did all the little things. That's what you get when you play the game the right way. It's a great team, there's no doubt about that. The Dodgers are a great team, and it feels even better – losing six in a row and coming back and beating the Dodgers is a good feeling. We've just got to come back tomorrow and not try to do more than what we did today. Just do the same."
In every sense of the cliché, it was a team victory.
Miley pitched six-plus innings, giving up just two hits, including a game-tying solo shot to his new nemesis, Scott Van Slyke, who led off the seventh inning by launching a 1-0 fastball over the right-field fence. For the Diamondbacks, whose rotation has been the worst in baseball through the season's first few weeks, it was a much-needed out.
They manufactured a run in the top of the ninth, getting a Montero walk, a steal by pinch-runner Tony Campana and a productive out by Cody Ross to set the stage for Campana to score from third on a wild pitch by Dodgers reliever Chris Withrow.
And then they overcame Reed's one mistake – a full-count slider to Juan Uribe that spun over the middle of the plate, a ball Uribe clanked off the left-field foul pole for a game-tying shot with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
"Supposed to be down and away," Reed said. "I left it over the plate. You saw the result. Just didn't execute it the way I wanted to."
His teammates picked him up in the 12th. A.J. Pollock doubled off right-hander Chris Perez to open the inning, and after Cliff Pennington was hit by a pitch, a Gerardo Parra bunt made it second and third, nobody out.
That brought up Hill, who to that point had been 0 for 5. Though his at-bats hadn't looked good, Hill said after the game he had actually felt good at the plate, making the results all the more frustrating. Gibson recognized this.
"I just said, 'You're going to win the game for us,'" Gibson said. "You can tell these guys have been wanting to be 'the guy.' I want them in the right frame of mind. I wanted to lift him up a little bit. He comes up there and gets a big hit for us so it works out well. I say it all the time, but it's good when it comes true."
With the count 0-1, Hill muscled a fastball into short right-center field to bring home both runs.
And on came Cahill into his first career save situation in his second career relief appearance. Though he'd struggled badly in four starts to open the season – two of them coming against the Dodgers – he had no such trouble retiring the side, getting a ground out (Andre Either), a strikeout (Yasiel Puig) and a line out (Justin Turner) to end it.
"Obviously," Hill said, "the last week or so has been rough, but every day these guys come in with a great attitude. It doesn't matter if it's extra innings or not, it was a big win today and hopefully we can keep it rolling."
Rewind
Diamondbacks 4, Dodgers 2 (12)
Speed kills: With the game tied at 1, Montero reached on a four-pitch walk from Withrow to open the ninth.
The speedy Campana was sent out as a pinch runner, and in a span of two pitches he had stolen second and moved to third on a ground out by Cody Ross.
With the count 2-0 on the next batter, Martin Prado, the Dodgers opted for an intentional walk. But Withrow's next pitch sailed over the head of Dodgers catcher Tim Federowicz, and Campana raced home.
Miley's night: LHP Wade Miley became the first Diamondbacks starter to open a game with six scoreless innings this season. Miley (on April 6) and Cahill (April 2) had each tossed four scoreless innings to start a game, but no one had gone beyond that.
Miley had allowed five walks and just one hit and had thrown 106 pitches through six innings, but manager Kirk Gibson allowed Miley to bat with two out and a runner on first in the top of the seventh.
Gibson's faith in his starter wasn't rewarded. Facing Van Slyke to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Miley fell behind 1-0 before Van Slyke hammered a fastball out to right field, the second time he has taken Miley deep this season.
Van Slyke improved to 5 for 12 with three home runs and three walks in his career against Miley.
Montero's shot: With two out in the sixth, Montero stayed back on a 2-1 curveball and uncorked a deep blast into the bleachers in right-center field, giving the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead off Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke.
He seemed to be seeing the ball well against Greinke all night. In the first, Montero worked a walk in a seven-pitch at-bat. He bounced out in the fourth inning but not before seeing 12 pitches.
Entering the game, Montero was 5 for 19 (.263) with a home run off Greinke.
Containing Gonzalez: After watching 1B Adrian Gonzalez torch them in three consecutive games at last weekend, the Diamondbacks knew they needed to find a way to hold Gonzalez in check at Dodger Stadium.
"He's hurt us," Gibson said Friday afternoon.
On Friday night, the Diamondbacks — more specifically, Miley — appeared to make progress. After Gonzalez went 7 for 13 with three homers vs. them last weekend, he was 0for3 with three strikeouts and an intentional walk.
Up next
D-Backs at Dodgers
When: 5:10 p.m. Saturday
TV/radio: Fox Sports 1 and FSAZ/KTAR-AM 620, KPKX-FM 98.7, KSUN-AM 1400
Pitchers: RHP Mike Bolsinger (0-0, 6.00) RHP Dan Haren (2-0, 2.04)
Notable: Bolsinger made his major league debut in relief of RHP Josh Collmenter on Monday against the New York Mets, giving up two runs in three innings. He will be moving into the rotation starting Saturday. … Bolsinger throws mostly cut fastballs in the 88-90 mph range and curveballs. … He had a 1.42 ERA in 12 2/3 innings for Triple-A Reno before this week's promotion. … Haren, who spent parts of three seasons with the Diamondbacks, has thrown well in his three starts, giving up five runs (four earned) in 17 2/3 innings. He labored through a start against the Diamondbacks last weekend but got through 5 2/3 innings having allowed three runs. … 2B Aaron Hill hits Haren hard, having gone 8 for 25 (.320) with two doubles, two triples and a home run.
Projected starters
Sunday: At LA Dodgers, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (0-1, 3.75) vs. Dodgers RHP Josh Beckett (0-0, 4.00).
Monday: At Chicago Cubs, 5:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Bronson Arroyo (1-1, 9.95) vs. Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.05).
Tuesday: At Chicago Cubs, 5:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.11) vs. Cubs LHP Travis Wood (0-2, 3.00).