D-backs vs. Rockies: 2 unearned runs are enough to beat Arizona 2-1

Ian Kennedy was very good in the season finale, but loses and the team finishes 81-81 on the season.

Rockies vs. Diamondbacks lineups: Arizona looks for winning record

The Arizona Diamondbacks will put the balance of a winning record on the last game of their disappointing season. Pitcher Ian Kennedy will have the opportunity to lead Arizona to a victory against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday -- one that would give the Diamondbacks 82 wins on the year.

Of notable changes in the lineup, left fielder Jason Kubel will sit out the season finale with 24-year-old A.J. Pollock in his place. Pollock, a center fielder, has played in 30 games for Arizona this year. Gerardo Parra will slide to left in place of Kubel.

Meanwhile, the 63-98 Rockies will ride pitcher Jeff Francis (5-7, 5.75 ERA), who was 0-3 in September and gave up five runs in just four innings in his last game against the Dodgers.

Here's a look at the lineups for the Diamondbacks and Rockies.

Colorado Rockies

1. Josh Rutledge 2B
2. Charlie Blackmon LF
3. Jordan Pacheco 1B
4. Wilin Rosario C
5. Tyler Colvin CF
6. Andrew Brown RF
7. DJ LeMahieu 3B
8. Jonathan Herrera SS
9. Jeff Francis P

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. A.J. Pollock CF
2. Aaron Hill 2B
3. Justin Upton RF
4. Paul Goldschmidt 1B
5. Miguel Montero C
6. Chris Johnson 3B
7. Gerardo Parra LF
8. John McDonald SS
9. Ian Kennedy P

D-backs vs Rockies: Ian Kennedy starts season finale

The Diamondbacks face the Rockies on the last day of the regular season.

Winning, no matter the circumstances, feels good for the Arizona Diamondbacks

Entering the bottom of the ninth inning of Tuesday night's game, no one thought that the Arizona Diamondbacks were going to win their game against the Rockies. After recording only one walkoff victory during the 2012 season, the odds were certainly against them.

But just as he has done all season, Aaron Hill stepped into the batter's box and delivered a big hit for Arizona; a hit to the tune of a three run home run, giving Arizona a 5-2 victory and a shot at finishing the season with an above .500 record.

Although it may have been surprising, it still felt good all the same.

"It wasn't looking good there for a couple innings," Hill said after the game. "But obviously Mac (John McDonald) led it off, it was a great at-bat. He was swinging the bat great all day. Gerardo Parra had a great at-bat. It was just grind it out to the end. Any game is fun to win."

Parra and McDonald's presence on the bases set the stones for Hill to blast a ball to the left field bleachers, which not only ended the game, but it helped the team gain some momentum for the next game and beyond.

Kirk Gibson was just as excited as the players he manages. With it being just the second walkoff hit of the year, Gibson said that the reality of it is, "sad to say, but it sure felt good."

"We hope to have many more of those in the future with those guys contributing," Gibson said. "Winning never gets old."

The fans may have been in an uproar when Hill hit the big home run, but it was his longtime teammate John McDonald that was his biggest cheerleader. "It was a lot of fun," McDonald said postgame. "You give Aaron first and third, the season he's been having, the type of hitter he is, you just really feel like something good was going to happen. Didn't think he would hit a three run homer, but we'll take it."

Even the pitcher, Patrick Corbin, acknowledged that the hit was huge for the club, citing that the walkoff, "almost feels better than a win."

That is the type of winning attitude that is instilled in this team and the one that they will need to hold on to through next season.

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Aaron Hill hits walkoff homer, D-backs win 5-3, can achieve +.500 record on season

As the Diamondbacks finish up their 2012 campaign, they hope to do so by ending it with a winning record. In order for the 80-80 club to do that, they needed to win their final two games against the visiting Colorado Rockies. With Patrick Corbin on the mound for Arizona, keeping some of the fast flying Rockies off base would be key.

Corbin managed to do just that. Through the first six innings, he only gave up five hits and a total of one earned run. A total of 72 pitches through that time showed that he was managing the game and keeping his pitch count down. If allowed, it seems that he could have gone for a complete game. He ended up going 7 innings, giving up 6 hits with an earned run and tallying up 6 strikeouts. He only gave up one walk, which was intentional in his 91 pitches.

Corbin's counterpart, Jhoulys Chacin, was even more effective from the mound. In 5 innings pitched for the Rockies, Chacin gave up just 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4 on 75 pitches. The Diamondbacks simply could not handle his stuff, but luckily for them, manager Jim Tracy always has his pitchers on a low count.

The game truly started in the second inning when Gerardo Parra made a critical error in center field. Bobbling the ball allowed DJ LeMahieu to go from first to third and then to home after Charlie Blackmon grounded out into a double play with no outs.

The Diamondbacks were getting hits on the board, but only had three hits through the fifth inning and had left four runners on base. In the bottom of the sixth, they had Aaron Hill and Justin Upton on first and second before Miguel Montero hit into a 6-4-3 double play. With Hill moving to third on the play, Paul Goldschmidt failed to plate him after flying out to second baseman Josh Rutledge.

Jason Kubel's leadoff double to begin the seventh was another good sign for the D-Backs and this time, it came with better results. John McDonald hit a two run homer, his sixth of the year, with Kubel on second base to give Arizona the lead, 2-1.

David Hernandez came on in relief after Corbin and immediately allowed runners to reach second and third with no outs. Jordan Pacheco's double down the left field line untied the game once again, making it 3-2 in favor of the Rockies.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the fate turned for Arizona. Aaron Hill drilled a three run walkoff home run to end the game with the D-Backs winning 5-3.

D-backs vs. Rockies: Starting line-ups announced

The Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Colorado Rockies tonight in a game where neither team has much to play for. Both teams have long since been eliminated from the playoffs and neither is expected to do much as time goes by.

Here are the starting lineups for the Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin goes to the mound, and he hasn't performed well, going 1-2 with a 7.40 ERA. He's been pulled from his last two starts after three innings of work, including one game where he got shelled by Colorado.

1. Gerardo Parra (L) CF
2. Aaron Hill (R) 2B
3. Justin Upton (R) RF
4. Miguel Montero (L) C
5. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
6. Jason Kubel (L) LF
7. Chris Johnson (R) 3B
8. John McDonald (R) SS
9. Patrick Corbin (L) P

Here are the starting lineups for the Rockies. Jhoulys Chacin heads to the hill for Colorado; he's posted a 3-2 record after getting pulled from action due to a pectoral injury.

1. Josh Rutledge (R) 2B
2. Tyler Colvin (L) CF
3. Jordan Pacheco (R) 1B
4. Wilin Rosario (R) C
5. Andrew Brown (R) RF
6. DJ LeMahieu (R) 3B
7. Charlie Blackmon (L) LF
8. Jonathan Herrera (S) SS
9. Jhoulys Chacin (R) P

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Lineups, end of season reflections and more

The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies tonight for their second to last game of the season, hoping that with two more wins, they can cross the .500 plateau for good. The club is currently 80-80 and will need to win their last two games to avoid an even record.

Outside of that, it is business as usual for the D-Backs. They will not be headed to the postseason this year, but that does not mean they won't keep trying to win. Each and every player seems committed to finishing the season strong, including pitcher Wade Miley.

During Monday night's game, Miley entered the seventh inning giving up just one run and already having set a career high in strikeouts with nine. Manager Kirk Gibson was hesitant in letting him go out and continue to pitch, but after talking to Miguel Montero and "politicking" with Miley, he felt that he "earned it" to stay out longer. It didn't end well for Arizona, but that is a testament to how hard these guys continue to work despite there being little to play for in the way of postseason play.

Gibson all made a case for Miley to be the National League Rookie of the Year and he didn't have to say much. "The record speaks for itself," Gibson said before Tuesday's game. "I know that if you go out and compare numbers over rookie years, his numbers are very, very good. If he would have won last night, it would have been him and [Justin] Verlander as the only rookies to have 17 [wins].

"He has almost 200 innings, he has less than 40 walks, 150's in strikeouts probably and 190 some innings. He's been very dominant, he's been very consistent."

Gibson also reflected on the season by saying that he thinks "it would have been a different season for us" if Chris Young had not gotten hurt early in the year. He was hitting .455 from the plate before injuring his shoulder on a spectacular catch in the outfield. Since then, he just hasn't been the same. What we do know is that this may be the last time Gibson gets to reflect on CY as a Diamondback, as many believe he will be traded this offseason.

As for Gibson's plans after their season ends Wednesday, he said that he may go see his old friend Bob Melvin and the Oakland Athletics in a playoff game this weekend. Asked on whether or not he would go to Detroit to visit them and if he received an invitation, Gibson seemed to laugh it off. "Why would they? I'm a Diamondback," he said. "Tigers don't like snakes."

Here are tonight's lineups:

Rockies:

Josh Rutledge (2B)

Tyler Colvin (CF)

Jordan Pacheco (1B)

Wilin Rosario (C)

Andrew Brown (RF)

DJ LeMahieu (3B)

Charlie Blackmon (LF)

Jonathan Herrera (SS)

Jhoulys Chacin (P, 3-5, 4.78)

Diamondbacks:

Gerardo Parra (CF)

Aaron Hill (2B)

Justin Upton (RF)

Miguel Montero (C)

Paul Goldschmidt (1B)

Jason Kubel (LF)

Chris Johnson (3B)

John McDonald (SS)

Patrick Corbin (P, 6-8, 4.77)

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