Story Homers Again, But Rockies Fall To Diamondbacks 11-6
PHOENIX (The Sports Xchange) - New Arizona right-hander Shelby Miller has been impressed in his short look at the Diamondbacks' offense.
"It's the mentality they have at the plate," Miller said. "It's something I've never seen before.
"They know they are good and they are capable of going out and scoring 11 runs like they did tonight. They are definitely going to pick us in situations like they did tonight."
Paul Goldschmidt and Jean Segura tripled and homered and Goldschmidt finished a six-run seventh inning with a two-out, three-run triple in the D-backs' 11-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field on Tuesday.
Miller, acquired from Atlanta in an offseason trade, gave up six runs in six innings his season debut, but the D-backs scored the final nine runs.
Goldschmidt had four RBIs and Segura had three as the D-backs (1-1) overcame a four-run deficit.
Segura's two-run triple capping a three-run sixth inning to cut the Rockies' lead to 6-5, and the D-backs sent 10 men to the plate against Christian Bergman (0-1) and Jason Gurka in the seventh inning.
Yasmany Tomas hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the seventh to tie the game at 6 and Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings added RBI singles before Goldschmidt's triple capped the scoring.
"Sometimes you do have to look at the scoreboard, other times you don't," Goldschmidt said.
"So when you get down, don't think you have to score four at once. Just take it one by one. We were able to get. That's kind of been our mindset, every inning try to find a way to get a run or get some runners on and have some good at-bats. Hopefully that will result in some wins."
Colorado rookie shortstop Trevor Story hit his third homer in two games and Nick Hundley and DJ LeMahieu also homered for the Rockies (1-1), who scored all their runs in the fourth inning off Miller.
Story is the second player in major league history to hit three homers in his first two games, joining former St. Louis first baseman Joe Cunningham. Story had two homers Monday, the first player to do that in his major league debut on opening day.
He joined Todd Helton as the only Rockies to homer in their first two major league games.
"We are going to be a good offensive club," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "It was just unfortunate that we had those two really ugly innings. That game got away from us. We've got to put that game away."
Ahmed had two RBI singles and Tyler Clippard (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh in his first appearance with the D-backs.
Miller gave up six runs and eight hits. He struck out two and walked one.
"The biggest thing was to try to keep us in the game," Miller said. "It's tough to be positive about a start like that, you give up six runs in one inning, but those kind of innings are going to happen. Tried to bounce back and put up zeroes. Our offense did a good job of getting us back in the game."
Rockies starter Chad Bettis gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Goldschmidt homered in the first inning and Segura homered in the third to stake Miller to a 2-0 lead before the Rockies hit three homers and scored all of their runs in the fourth, their second six-run inning in as many days.
Miller, a hard-luck 6-17 with a 3.02 ERA with Atlanta last season, gave up only 13 homers last season. He allowed as many as two in a game only once.
NOTES: If Arizona RHP Zack Greinke pitched with the flu on Monday as one news outlet reported, manager Chip Hale said it did not affect his performance. "I think what bothered him was their bats and location of the pitches," Hale said. "If he had the flu and it was an issue, he probably wouldn't have been able to start." Greinke gave up nine hits and seven runs in four innings of a 10-5 loss to Colorado. ... Arizona purchased RHP Kyle Drabek from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday to add to the bullpen when RHP Silvino Bracho was optioned to Reno. Bracho gave up a three-run homer to Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado in 1 1/3 innings in the opener on Monday. ... Arizona CF A.J. Pollock had a plate placed on the tip of his right elbow in surgery Tuesday. No timetable was given for his return. ... Arizona rookie OF Socrates Brito made his first major league start in center field on Tuesday. ... RF Carlos Gonzalez has made seven Opening Day starts for Colorado and it agrees with him. He homered Monday and is 16-for-34 (.471) with three homers, three doubles and four RBIs.
