D-backs win on Hill's walk-off, three-run homer
"One," the manager replied.
They now have two.
Hill's walk-off, three-run homer provided the D-backs a 5-3 win over the Rockies on Tuesday night at Chase Field.
The victory was the 81st of the season for the D-backs, who assured themselves of finishing the season no worse than .500. Arizona concludes the 2012 campaign on Wednesday evening against the Rockies at Chase Field.
The D-backs trailed 3-2 heading into the ninth, and after closer Rafael Betancourt struck out Chris Johnson to start the inning, John McDonald singled. Gerardo Parra then singled with two outs to put runners at first and third and keep the rally alive.
"G had a big two-out hit to keep that rally going," McDonald said. "You give Aaron first and third with the season he's been having, the type of hitter he is, you just feel like something good is going to happen."
After Gibson told him about there being only one walk-off homer this year, Hill's response proved prophetic.
"I said, 'Well, let's go,'" Hill said. "I didn't say I was going to do it."
Yet that's exactly what he did, as he jumped on a first-pitch fastball and deposited it into the left-field bleachers for the win.
"It was fun. I don't know that I've ever done it," said Hill, before being informed he had a walk-off homer back in 2006. "Well, there you go, it's been a while. It's a great feeling. Any time you can produce to help your team win, but especially in a situation like that. That's what you think about when you're a little kid when you're playing on the street."
Said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, "I personally feel that if Raffy had to do it over again he would want that ball down, not where he threw it. Hill jumped on that first fastball, the ball probably came right back to the bat."
The D-backs looked like they had a come-from-behind 2-1 win following a two-run homer in the seventh by McDonald.
Colorado, however, was able to put together a two-run rally of its own in the eighth off setup man David Hernandez.
The D-backs struggled to solve Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin, who tossed five shutout innings.
Chacin was followed to the mound by Guillermo Moscoso, and the right-hander pitched his way into and out of trouble in the sixth.
Finally in the seventh, the D-backs were able to break through.
Jason Kubel led off the inning with a double and one out later McDonald sent a 1-0 pitch into the D-backs bullpen down the left-field line for his sixth homer of the year, tying his career high.
"I was just trying to put a good swing on it and he threw a strike," McDonald said. "I was trying to stay up the middle. I'm not a home run hitter, so fortunately I got that ball to carry a little bit for me."
The blast gave Arizona a 2-1 lead, but it proved to be short-lived.
The D-backs turned to Hernandez to protect the lead in the eighth, and in a span of three batters it was gone.
Josh Rutledge led off with a single and Tyler Colvin followed with a double to put runners at second and third.
Jordan Pacheco then drove them both in with a double to left that gave the Rockies the 3-2 lead.
The Rockies rally cost D-backs starter Patrick Corbin what would have been a well-deserved win.
Corbin was looking to finish his season on a good note after struggling in his last two starts.
The left-hander certainly accomplished that, as he allowed just one run on six hits over seven innings. The only walk Corbin allowed was an intentional one and he fanned six.
"That's what I wanted to do today, just go out there and end on a good note and head into the offseason feeling good about this year and hope to continue it next year," Corbin said.