PHOENIX -- Injuries and inexperience haven't slowed the Arizona Diamondbacks lately.
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| Luis Gonzalez hits a two-run triple in Arizona's five-run eighth inning.(AP) |
After the Astros rallied for four runs in the ninth to cut it to 7-6, Brady Raggio retired Richard Hidalgo on a grounder with two on for his first career save.
Arizona manager Bob Brenly wasn't too familiar with Raggio before his callup from the minors last weekend, but he likes what he has seen of him in two appearances so far.
"I heard his name from (when he pitched in) Japan," Brenly said. "I know he throws strikes. He was excited when he came in ... for his first save."
Ricky Bottalico (1-0), recalled from the minors earlier in the day, pitched a scoreless eighth for his first big league victory since Sept. 18, 2001, with Philadelphia.
"I felt like I was a rookie in my first major league game when I came in," Bottalico said. "I had some nerves out there. I hadn't pitched in a (major league) game in over a year."
The loss ended Houston's three-game winning streak and dropped the Astros two percentage points behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
Gonzalez followed a single by Steve Finley and a walk to Alex Cintron with his first triple of the season, a shot into the right-field corner that Hidalgo did not play well as both runners scored to snap a 2-2 tie.
Arizona's winning rally came against Brad Lidge (4-1). Before Lidge left, he walked Lyle Overbay and Chad Moeller, then McCracken lined his first triple of the year into the left-field corner against Pete Munro, clearing the bases and giving the Diamondbacks a 7-2 lead.
"I didn't make the pitches when I needed to make them," Lidge said. "I didn't make an adjustment when my pitches were up, so I paid for it."
Oscar Villarreal was charged with four runs in the ninth on an RBI single off the pitcher's chest by Craig Biggio, a two-run single by Jeff Bagwell and a run-scoring wild pitch by Mike Myers. After Myers plunked pinch-hitter Morgan Ensberg with a pitch, Raggio came in and retired Hidalgo on a grounder to third.
"It means a lot to me," Raggio said. "I knew ... I had to stop the momentum."
Houston manager Jimy Williams bemoaned his team's inability to come all the way back.
"It's been consistent to what we've been doing all year," he said of the late rally. "This team has battled back from a lot of deficits. We just came up short."
In a rematch of the Diamondbacks' 2-1 victory Wednesday, Houston starter Ron Villone and Arizona's Brandon Webb both pitched well.
Villone, who went to spring training with the Diamondbacks and was released, worked six innings and allowed two runs and six hits in his second start of the season.
Cintron did the most damage against Villone, driving in the first two Arizona runs. Cintron had a looping single to right in the first to drive in Matt Kata, who doubled and moved to third on Finley's grounder, and hit his sixth homer in the sixth.
Webb permitted only two hits and two runs in seven innings. Both runs and hits came in the fourth inning. Bagwell walked with one out, stole second and scored on Hidalgo's infield single that scooted past Cintron at shortstop.
Jose Vizcaino then tripled to score Hidalgo.
After Vizcaino's hit, Webb allowed only two baserunners, both on walks, one intentional.
Notes
- Arizona placed reliever Mike Koplove on the 15-day disabled list because of an ailing right shoulder, moved LHP Randy Johnson from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL - he's recovering from right knee surgery -- and recalled Bottalico from Triple-A Tucson.
- Villone is one of 10 starting pitchers for Houston this season.
- Cintron's home run gave the Diamondbacks homers in eight consecutive games, their longest streak this season.
- The Diamondbacks signed their 19th-round draft selection, Daniel Muegge, a right-handed pitcher out of Texas.
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