Field Level Media
Mar 31, 2018
Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed homered and had a career-high five RBIs and A.J. Pollock had two hits and two RBIs in the Diamondbacks' 9-8 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field on Friday.
Ahmed hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run first inning, and his RBI single off Antonio Senzatela in a two-run fifth broke a tie at seven as the Diamondbacks won their first two games of the season for the first time since 2012.
Ian Desmond, Gerardo Parra and Charlie Blackmon homered for Colorado, which enters the final game of a three-game series looking to avoid its second 0-3 start in franchise history.
Parra hit a two-run homer and Blackmon hit a three-run homer off left-hander Robbie Ray to cap a five-run fourth inning that tied the game before Ahmed and John Ryan Murphy singled in runs in the fifth.
New Arizona closer Brad Boxberger pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning for his first save since Oct. 1, 2015, with Tampa Bay.
Ray (1-0) gave up seven runs (six earned) and seven hits in five innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
Ahmed had three hits and Chris Owings had two hits and scored three runs for Arizona, which will send Zack Greinke to the mound Saturday in search of a series sweep.
Nolan Arenado, Desmond and Carlos Gonzalez had two hits apiece for Colorado. Gonzalez's RBI single in the seventh inning cut the deficit to 9-8.
Colorado starter Tyler Anderson gave up five hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, with four walks and three strikeouts. He has given up 18 earned runs in 12 innings in three starts at Chase Field.
Anderson walked two of the first three batters he faced before Pollock hit a two-run double into the left-field corner. After another walk, Ahmed's homer made it 5-0.
Desmond's two-run homer in the second made it 5-2.
Pollock tripled and scored on Owings' single in the third inning, and after another walk Ahmed singled in Owings for a 7-2 lead.
Desmond singled with one out in the fourth and Parra followed with a homer. After a single by Chris Iannetta and a throwing error by catcher Murphy, Blackmon hit a three-run homer off the batter's eye in center field.
--Field Level Media