Corbin marks comeback with 1st win since '13
PHOENIX -- Patrick Corbin tossed five solid innings to earn the win in his first start since Sept. 27, 2013 as the D-backs beat the Rockies, 7-3, on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at Chase Field.
Corbin, who underwent Tommy John surgery in March, 2014, allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out three. The D-backs gave Corbin some early run support in the first when they capitalized on a Nolan Arenado error to score a pair of runs.
"It was a long road," Corbin said. "Everybody throughout this week was just making sure I was calm and collected out there. I thought I would be a little bit more nervous out there, maybe a little more hyped up."
The Rockies, though, tied things up in the third and even after the D-backs went ahead 4-2 in the fourth, the Rockies continued to battle, scoring a run in the eighth. But a three-run rally in the eighth by the D-backs -- fueled by a Wilin Rosario throwing error that resulted in two runs -- put the game on ice.
Video: COL@ARI: D-backs bunt three times in big 8th innning
"He's learning a new position at the Major League level," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Rosario, a catcher before this year. "He's done a nice job. He works his butt off every day, and he'll continue to do that."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Career best for A.J.: A.J. Pollock's two-out, two-run double in the fourth not only gave the D-backs the lead for good, but also helped him to match his career high for RBIs with 38, which he also accomplished in 2013.
"Pollock came up with that huge hit, that was awesome and we kept the lead after that," Corbin said.
Video: COL@ARI: Pollock plates a pair with double past third
One pitch away: Rockies starter David Hale made what should have been his biggest play early in the fourth when he fielded Nick Ahmed's squeeze bunt and threw home to cut down Jarrod Saltalamacchia. But with two on, two down and the count 2-2, Pollock bounced a double past a diving Arenado to drive in two runs for a 4-2 D-backs lead. Then Rosario made the bizarre eighth-inning error on a double-clutch, wild throw to an unoccupied first base that let in two runs.
"It [the pitch] was right where I wanted it," said Hale, who struggled with command during a two-run D-backs first but seemed to right himself before the Pollock hit. "Honestly, he did what I wanted him to do, hit a groundball to the left side. He just found a hole."
Video: COL@ARI: Pennington's squeeze delivers insurance runs
Sums it up: The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, down 4-2, when they once again made the least of a scoring opportunity. Rosario and Drew Stubbs each managed only fielder's choice grounders, and the inning ended with a one-run deficit.
"We need a big hit, a timely hit," Weiss said.
Adding on: Brad Ziegler completed his 11th straight save after the D-backs gave him some additional breathing room by scoring three runs in the eighth as they took advantage of another Rockies error, this one by first baseman Rosario.
QUOTABLE
"It seemed like a normal day for him, but it was way more than a normal day for all of us and I think for him now to get through this and feel good about it, and we'll see how he feels tomorrow." -- D-backs manager Chip Hale on Corbin's comeback
Video: COL@ARI: Hale pleased with Corbin's outing in 7-3 win
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Lefty Jorge De La Rosa (5-3, 4.59 ERA) is the winningest pitcher in club history, and he is coming off a 4-1, 3.16 ERA in June. But when he faces the D-backs in Sunday's series finale at 2:10 p.m. MT, he'll be trying to win for the first time at Chase Field (0-7, 4.36 in nine starts).
D-backs: The D-backs wrap up the four-game series with the Rockies and their seven-game homestand at 1:10 p.m. MST at Chase Field. Rubby De La Rosa (6-3, 4.60) will get the start and will look to continue his recent role in which he has compiled a 1.30 ERA over his last four starts.
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