PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks passed the hero hat again on Sunday, after
another of the relentless comeback victories out of which they carved their identity
last year.
The D-backs tied a franchise record by overcoming a six-run deficit in a 7-6
victory to finish a season-opening sweep of San Francisco on Sunday, the same style
that resulted in 48 comeback victories, an NL West pennant and a trip to the
2011 NLDS.
Only the names occasionally change.
Lyle Overbay had two big hits, Wade Miley threw four innings of hitless relief
for the victory, Craig Breslow held the lead and Bryan Shaw notched his first
major league save by throwing three cut fastballs by Buster Posey with two outs
and runners on first and second in the ninth.
It is not that the usual suspects were nowhere to be found. It is that the last
two seasons, every D-back has become a likely contributor.
Overbay, Miley and Breslow were making their first appearances of the season,
while Shaw faced the first save situation in his career.
“That’s the great part,” third baseman Ryan Roberts said. “Everybody checks
their egos at the door when they walk in. It’s whatever you have to do to win a
game. That’s it. Every game is the same game. We’re going to treat it like it
is the seventh game of the World Series.”
San Francisco’s Matt Cain signed a five-year, $112.5 million contract extension
last Monday, and he looked every bit worth it in the first three innings. He
pitched out of a no-out, runner-on-third situation in the first and yielded just
two hits until the fourth.
Meanwhile, the Giants built a 6-0 lead against right-hander Josh Collmenter,
whose struggles carried over from spring training. Posey’s first homer in
almost a year capped a three-run third inning after he singled to open a
three-run second.
That only served to kindle a D-backs comeback.After a major league-high 48
comeback victories last season, the D-backs know the drill.
By now, it looks natural. One deficit this sesaon. One deficit overcome.
“That’s what we’ve made our team,” said Overbay, who went 3-for-4 with three
RBI. “That’s how we did it last year. It’s kind of nice. To do it against Matt
Cain and the Giants is a tough task.”
Overbay started the comeback with a two-out, two-run double in the fourth
inning after Miguel Montero walked and Chris Young singled to get on base
sandwiched between the first two outs.
As Miley continued to hold down the Giants while pitching through three infield
errors, Roberts’ two-out, two-run homer made it 6-4 in the sixth. Overbay
followed with a homer to right, and it was a one-run game.
“We got a couple of key hits, and Miley threw great to keep us in the game,”
Overbay said.
“He (Cain) made a mistake on my pitch. You have to make him pay. Cain
doesn’t make mistakes. You can’t miss those.”
The D-backs’ persistence seemed to get to the Giants in the seventh, when the
D-backs scored the tying and go-ahead runs on one only one hit off four
relievers. The Giants committed two infield errors and walked two.
“I’ve been on the other end of that. You have a 6-0 lead and the other team
starts coming, it puts pressure on you,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.
Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel opened the seventh with his first hit as a D-back, an
opposite-field single to left, before being forced at second by Willie
Bloomquist. Jeremy Affeldt walked Aaron Hill and Santiago Casilla walked Justin
Upton, loading the bases.
Reliever Javier Lopez entered and induced what appeared to be a double play
grounder from Montero, but shortstop Brandon Crawford mishandled the ball as
Bloomquist scored to tie it at 6.
Sergio Romo, the fourth Giants’ pitcher of the inning, induced Young to
ground to third baseman Pablo Sandoval. His throw to the plate was in time to
force Hill, but home plate umpire Mike DiMuro ruled that catcher Posey’s right
foot was not on the plate when he took the throw.
And with that, Arizona led 7-6.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy argued and was eventually tossed, but he later
said DiMuro’s call was correct.
After allowing a leadoff walk, Breslow recorded a strikeout and induced a
double play to get out of the eighth. Shaw made it interesting in the ninth,
giving up a two-out single to Melky Cabrera and hitting Sandoval before
striking out Posey.
“We’re going to keep grinding. Keep playing,” Roberts said. “You get down early
... we were down last year a lot. You know you can come back.
"It’s just keeping your nose in it until the last out of the ninth
inning.”
