Hill lobbies to return, held out of starting lineup

PHOENIX -- Even before he got to the ballpark Monday, D-backs second baseman Aaron Hill was lobbying to be in the starting lineup.

Hill sent manager Kirk Gibson a text Monday morning, saying his left ankle would not prevent him from playing.

Hill fouled a pitch off his ankle in Sunday's second game and was removed a few innings later.

After Gibson received the text, he talked with head athletic trainer Ken Crenshaw, and the decision was made to keep Hill out until Tuesday.

"All things considered, we're going to give him another day, and he's available [to pinch-hit]," Gibson said. "I'm sure he's going to hit in the cage. And he had a pretty big knot on there. And actually he could play the field OK, but the hitting really bothered him."

Hill entered in the seventh inning Monday as a pinch-hitter and flied out to center field.