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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHOENIX (AP) – Reggie Sanders watched his bat sail into the
stands, and wanted it back – now.
|  | | Reggie Sanders, right, is congratulated by teammates after hitting the game-winning homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. |
With two outs in the ninth, he swung and missed and lost his
grip. Well up in the seats, a young boy grabbed the bat and held it
aloft in triumph. Reluctantly, he gave it back.
On the next pitch, Sanders hit his second home run of the game
to give the Arizona Diamondbacks a 3-2 victory over Colorado on
Friday night, snapping the Rockies' five-game winning streak.
"Oh man, you know it's so funny," Sanders said. "We were in
spring training and I was swinging a hot bat and threw the bat in
the stands. I didn't get that bat, grabbed another bat and struck
out, so that was in my mind.
"I said, `That's a hot bat. I'd better get that bat back,' and
I hit a home run."
The boy was given another bat, autographed by Sanders in person
after the game.
Sanders, who has five homers, hit an 0-2 pitch, a low slider,
from Gabe White (0-2) into the left field seats after Matt Williams
had struck out and Mark Grace flied out. White said it was a good
pitch.
"The pitch he hit was down and away, kind of a back door,"
White said. "I did everything I wanted to do. I made my pitch.
Sometimes you've got to tip your cap. He did a good job. Next time
I win."
It was the end of an eventful two days for Sanders. His wife
gave birth to the couple's third daughter Thursday evening.
"That game was definitely for my newborn, Carson, and my wife
and my family," Sanders said.
Sanders, signed as a free agent in the offseason, had leadoff
homer in the fifth to put Arizona up 2-0.
Curt Schilling, who doubled in the Diamondbacks' first run, was
two outs from a complete game victory when Todd Hollandsworth
homered, on his 28th birthday, into the Arizona bullpen in left
field on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth to tie it 2-2.
Brent Mayne followed with a single, and Schilling was finished.
Byung Hyun-Kim (1-1) retired both batters he faced to end the
inning.
"It's not discouraging at all. We won," Schilling said.
"There's nothing bad to take out of this. I made a mistake, and we
still got away and won a big game."
Todd Helton hit his fifth homer with two outs in the sixth for
Colorado, but flied out twice with two outs and runners in scoring
position.
"When you get in a situation where you can get even, you feel
pretty good," Colorado manager Buddy Bell said, "but that's just
the way this game is."
In 8 1-3 innings, Schilling allowed two runs and seven hits,
struck out eight and walked two, only the second and third walks he
has given up in 31 1-3 innings this season.
"It was a great outing, nonetheless," Arizona manager Bob
Brenly said. "Obviously he would have gotten the win. I would like
to have gotten him a win, but it doesn't diminish whatsoever the
effort he put forth out there."
Brian Bohanon had no decision in his best outing of the season.
The Colorado left-hander gave up two runs and five hits and struck
out three in 6 1-3 innings. He didn't walk a batter but hit Luis
Gonzalez twice.
Schilling struck out four consecutive batters before walking
Juan Pierre with one out in the eighth. Todd Walker flied out, but
Larry Walker singled to put runners on first and third. Helton
flied out to right to end the inning.
Arizona's Damian Miller snapped an 0-for-22 streak with a
one-out double to the center field wall in the third. Schilling
followed with a double into the left field corner to drive in
Miller and make it 1-0.
The run broke Colorado's franchise-record string of 20 scoreless
innings.
Singles by Bohanon and Todd Walker and a walk to Larry Walker
loaded the bases for Colorado with two outs in the third. It was
the first walk given up by Schilling in 80 batters. Helton flied
out to center to end the threat.
Schilling retired nine in a row before Helton's two-out home run
to left-center made it 2-1.
Game notes
Arizona RHP Miguel Batista will appeal a two-game
suspension levied for allegedly throwing at Mark Grudzielanek of
the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... Colorado has hit a home run in all of
its road games and 15 of its 16 games overall this season. ...
Steve Finley singled in the fifth for his first base hit at home
this season (in 18 at-bats), but was thrown out trying to steal
second. ... Williams hit into his fifth double play of the season.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 5
Detroit 4
NY Yankees 6
Boston 1
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 3
Minnesota 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Toronto 12
Kansas City 4
Texas 9
Oakland 6
Seattle 4
Anaheim 1
Cincinnati 9
NY Mets 5
Florida 5
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 8
Atlanta 3
Chicago Cubs 8
Pittsburgh 2
Houston 10
St. Louis 1
Arizona 3
Colorado 2
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 1
San Francisco 3
Milwaukee 1
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