As if the Diamondbacks 2011 season isn't already evoking memories of that special 2001 campaign in the desert -- the one in which the D-backs won their lone World Series championship -- the local nine went all out Friday night.
They donned one of their several 2001 uniforms, the white with pinstripes sleeveless jersey with matching pants and purple short sleeves underneath with purple caps. There was purple and teal everywhere, and even some of the music was circa 2001.
And with all that purple and teal in the stands, the perfect man on the perfect night delivered at the perfect time. Lyle Overbay, the only guy on the player roster ever to have worn the former colors, ripped a two-out single off San Diego reliever (and former local whipping boy as a D-back) Chad Qualls in the bottom of the eighth inning, driving in the tie-breaking run in Arizona's 3-2 win over the lowly Padres Friday night at Chase Field.
It was too perfect, but it wasn't too good to be true. Overbay drove in Aaron Hill from third base, Daniel Hudson stranded a runner at third base in the top of the ninth to finish off a five-hit complete game and the Never-Say-Die-mondbacks won for the 14th straight time at home, a franchise record that tied the majors' best home win streak this season.
"I felt a little younger, I guess," the 34-year-old Overbay, who hadn't been a D-back since 2003 before returning to the club a month ago, said with a grin after the game.
Hudson (16-9) kept his team in the game despite trailing 2-0 before the bottom of the sixth. That's when Justin Upton hit a solo home run, his 30th of the season. The Diamondbacks tied if off Padres starter Mat Latos, who pitched an impressive seven innings, with Gerardo Parra's triple to score Chris Young in the bottom of the seventh.
Parra clawed at the air after sliding into third, getting those claws returned from the dugout by a host of teammates. Upton and Hudson talked about the comeback nonchalantly, since it has happened so often for the D-backs this season.
Thrown out twice earlier trying to score from third base on a fly ball out, the Diamondbacks kept forcing the Padres to make plays on throws. So it was no surprise when Hill reached third on Montero's hit in the eighth.
Ryan Roberts struck out, but Overbay got the key hit, and it was 2001 all over again.