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Tuesday, Sep. 26 9:05pm ET
D-Backs' postseason hopes flicker out | |||||
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GAME LOG
DENVER (AP) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks won't be going back to the postseason. The defending NL West champions were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday night as Todd Helton and Todd Hollandsworth hit two-run homers to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 7-6 win Tuesday night. "Your expectations are high, especially when you have a season like we did last year," Arizona third baseman Matt Williams said in a subdued clubhouse. "You play to go to the postseason, and when you don't make it, it's definitely disappointing. Taking it out as long as we did is no consolation." The disappointing season might cost manager Buck Showalter his job. Showalter took the expansion team to the playoffs in its second year before faltering in 2000. "Today is definitely sobering," Showalter said. "There is one goal that we had this year, and we aren't going to reach it. The bottom line is that we won't get to roll the dice in October this year, and that meant a lot to us." Jeff Cirillo went 4-for-5 for the Rockies who won for the third time in 11 games. Former Diamondback Bobby Chouinard (2-2) worked one inning for the win and Jose Jimenez got five outs 22nd save in 28. "I don't find any satisfaction in eliminating them and I'm sure the majority of players in our clubhouse feel the same way," Hollandsworth said. "Our purpose tonight, as it has been the entire season is to win and win as many games as possible." The Rockies broke a 6-all tie in the seventh inning. Terry Shumpert hit a leadoff double against Mike Morgan (5-5). After a sacrifice by Brent Mayne, Juan Pierre hit an RBI groundout. "Speed can be a dangerous thing and you saw what it meant in the seventh inning," Colorado manager Buddy Bell said. "We got the game-winner because Pierre ran hard enough to keep them from thinking about a double play." Danny Bautista homered and drove in three runs and Williams homered and drove in two runs for the Diamondbacks. Williams gave Arizona a 2-0 led in the first inning against Kevin Jarvis with his 10th homer. Colorado chased Byung-Hyun Kim with a four-run third inning as Helton and Hollandsworth hit two-run home runs. Kim made his first career start after 84 relief appearances. Helton hit the facing of the upper deck for his 39th homer, and two batters later, Hollandsworth connected with a high, looping drive into the first deck in right. "The first time up, Kim nearly took my head off with a slider," Helton said. "He hung a changeup on my next at-bat and I hit the homer." The Diamondbacks tied it at 4 in the fifth inning. Pinch-hitter Rob Ryan walked with one out and moved to third on Craig Counsell single to right. Helton dropped the relay throw to first on Bautista's double play grounder allowing Ryan to score. Luis Gonzalez added an RBI double. The Rockies took a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning off Greg Swindell. Jeff Frye doubled, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored when Counsell booted Neifi Perez's grounder to shortstop for an error. Cirillo followed with an RBI single to center. Bautista tied it at 6 in the seventh with a two-run homer off Chouinard. "This road trip seems like it's been a month long," Gonzalez said. "We had three tough losses to L.A., San Francisco clinched the division in front of us, and now we're eliminated. I would trade all my personal success this season in to be in the postseason right now." Game notesDiamondbacks INF Tony Womack underwent successful surgery Tuesday to remove a cyst discovered behind his left knee. ... Gonzalez is one of three NL players to have play in every game this year. Gonzalez had his career-high and franchise-high 45th double. ... RHP Pedro Astacio will have minor surgery on his left knee on Oct. 9 in Vail, Colo. ... Colorado has an NL-record 75 sacrifice flies, one better than the 1977 Philadelphia Phillies. ... Jarvis had his consecutive batters retired streak ended at 19 by Bautista's first-inning single, two short of the Colorado club record of 21 set by Darren Holmes in 1996. ... Helton drew his 98th and 99th walk of the year to tie Walt Weiss' club record of 99 set in 1995. ... Helton has 100 extra base hits, one more than Larry Walker had in 1997. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Arizona Clubhouse Colorado Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 2 Toronto 1
Colorado 7
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