azdad1978
Championship!!!!
David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 11, 2005 12:00 AM
The Diamondbacks padded their major league-leading home run total by two on Sunday, but it was a well-timed single by Chad Tracy in the eighth inning that keyed a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Bank One Ballpark.
Tracy misplayed a ground ball at first base that enabled the Dodgers, who were looking to sweep the three-game series, to take a 1-0 lead off Arizona starter Russ Ortiz in the first inning.
"It's embarrassing over there at first when you make a play like that," Tracy said. "But it's nice to come up and have a chance to redeem yourself."
The newly converted first baseman did just that by lining a single to center field off Duaner Sanchez that scored Luis Gonzalez from third base.
Gonzalez led off with a double.
The single was Tracy's lone hit, but it extended his hitting streak to six games.
"I expect those things out of him," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "He's an outstanding hitter. We were in a good spot with him up there."
Closer Brandon Lyon flirted with trouble in the ninth inning but earned his second save.
J.D. Drew, who ended an 0-for-25 drought in the seventh inning, quickly got his second hit of the year, and moved to second base on a wild pitch with two outs.
Lyon ended the drama, however, by getting pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee to fly out to center field to end the game.
"(The save) will go a long way for him," Melvin said.
Troy Glaus and former Dodgers player Shawn Green hit Arizona's 12th and 13th home runs of the season.
"We play in a ballpark where the ball can fly pretty good and we've got guys in the middle of the order, and basically after 1-2 all the way down the order, that can hit the ball out of the ballpark," Melvin said.
Green said he was glad the Diamondbacks managed to salvage a victory against his former team.
"I really wanted to win the series," Green said. "That didn't work out, but it was nice to contribute today."
Arizona led 4-2 after six innings, but the Dodgers tied the score on rookie Jason Repko's first major league home run, a two-run shot off reliever Oscar Villarreal.
Villarreal, who pitched Arizona out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the sixth, immediately left the game after the home run because of tightness in his shoulder.
Ortiz threw five-plus innings and was displeased he didn't reach the seventh.
Melvin didn't seem to mind.
"All in all, he gave us what we needed," Melvin said. "He kept us in the ballgame and gave us a chance to win."
The Diamondbacks are happy to see the Dodgers leave town; Los Angeles has won 19 of the past 23 games between the teams.
Arizona continues its nine-game homestand tonight against Colorado.
Brad Halsey is scheduled to make his first start.
View from Press Box
Several Dodgers fans behind the Los Angeles dugout stood and applauded while many others cheered sarcastically after center fielder J.D. Drew smacked a bases-empty single to left field in the seventh inning for his first hit of the season. Drew, who began his Dodgers career with an 0-for-25 streak, offered no playful signs of relief after the hit, nor did he acknowledge the applause. - David Vest
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0411dbacks0411.html
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 11, 2005 12:00 AM
The Diamondbacks padded their major league-leading home run total by two on Sunday, but it was a well-timed single by Chad Tracy in the eighth inning that keyed a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Bank One Ballpark.
Tracy misplayed a ground ball at first base that enabled the Dodgers, who were looking to sweep the three-game series, to take a 1-0 lead off Arizona starter Russ Ortiz in the first inning.
"It's embarrassing over there at first when you make a play like that," Tracy said. "But it's nice to come up and have a chance to redeem yourself."
The newly converted first baseman did just that by lining a single to center field off Duaner Sanchez that scored Luis Gonzalez from third base.
Gonzalez led off with a double.
The single was Tracy's lone hit, but it extended his hitting streak to six games.
"I expect those things out of him," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "He's an outstanding hitter. We were in a good spot with him up there."
Closer Brandon Lyon flirted with trouble in the ninth inning but earned his second save.
J.D. Drew, who ended an 0-for-25 drought in the seventh inning, quickly got his second hit of the year, and moved to second base on a wild pitch with two outs.
Lyon ended the drama, however, by getting pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee to fly out to center field to end the game.
"(The save) will go a long way for him," Melvin said.
Troy Glaus and former Dodgers player Shawn Green hit Arizona's 12th and 13th home runs of the season.
"We play in a ballpark where the ball can fly pretty good and we've got guys in the middle of the order, and basically after 1-2 all the way down the order, that can hit the ball out of the ballpark," Melvin said.
Green said he was glad the Diamondbacks managed to salvage a victory against his former team.
"I really wanted to win the series," Green said. "That didn't work out, but it was nice to contribute today."
Arizona led 4-2 after six innings, but the Dodgers tied the score on rookie Jason Repko's first major league home run, a two-run shot off reliever Oscar Villarreal.
Villarreal, who pitched Arizona out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the sixth, immediately left the game after the home run because of tightness in his shoulder.
Ortiz threw five-plus innings and was displeased he didn't reach the seventh.
Melvin didn't seem to mind.
"All in all, he gave us what we needed," Melvin said. "He kept us in the ballgame and gave us a chance to win."
The Diamondbacks are happy to see the Dodgers leave town; Los Angeles has won 19 of the past 23 games between the teams.
Arizona continues its nine-game homestand tonight against Colorado.
Brad Halsey is scheduled to make his first start.
View from Press Box
Several Dodgers fans behind the Los Angeles dugout stood and applauded while many others cheered sarcastically after center fielder J.D. Drew smacked a bases-empty single to left field in the seventh inning for his first hit of the season. Drew, who began his Dodgers career with an 0-for-25 streak, offered no playful signs of relief after the hit, nor did he acknowledge the applause. - David Vest
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0411dbacks0411.html
