![]() | |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities ![]()
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |
PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Steve Finley of the Arizona Diamondbacks has been bothered by a bad back. On Wednesday, he was a pain in the neck for the Milwaukee Brewers. Finley came off the bench, hit his eighth career grand slam and drove in five runs as the first-place Diamondbacks ended a five-game losing streak against the lowly Brewers with a 15-9 romp. After sitting out Tuesday's series opener, Finley batted for reliever Mike Morgan and delivered an RBI single to highlight a five-run sixth inning. In the seventh, he provided the big blow with a grand slam -- his 200th career home run -- off Gus Gandarillas that stretched Arizona's lead to 15-5. "I came to the park, it felt good, did a lot of treatment the last couple of days," Finley said. "I told (manager Bob Brenly) I was ready to play and I was glad I did." The blast capped an 18-hit attack by the Diamondbacks, who had not beaten Milwaukee since May 27, 2000. "We haven't had a game like that in a long time," Brenly said. "It's nice not to have to chew my fingernails or grind my teeth." Tony Womack drove in four runs, Danny Bautista was 3-for-6 with two RBI and every starter had at least one hit for Arizona, which remained 1 1/2 games ahead of second-place San Francisco in the National League West. "It doesn't matter. We're still controlling our own destiny," Brenly said. Starter Bobby Witt (4-1) lasted just long enough for the win, allowing five runs and six hits in five innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Morgan was the Diamondbacks' only effective reliever, tossing a scoreless sixth. Miguel Batista and rookies Mike Koplove and Robert Ellis combined to yield four runs over the final three frames. "It felt very good for a lot of different reasons," Brenly said. "We got a lot of guys on track offensively tonight. Bobby Witt's numbers may not look particularly good, but he pitched an outstanding ballgame once again. He goes out there and gave us what we needed." The Brewers wasted Jeromy Burnitz's sixth career grand slam, a three-run homer by Luis Lopez and a solo shot by Angel Echevarria. They failed in a bid for their first three-game winning streak since mid-July and have lost eight of their last 10 contests. "A lot of home runs, not much pitching," Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said. "When you score and then give up four right back, the momentum swings to the opposition. It snowballed. We didn't do what we needed to do in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings." Witt took a 2-0 lead to the fifth, but Lou Collier doubled in a run and the Brewers loaded the bases before Burnitz cleared them with his 32nd homer. "I loved it all, except that pitch to Burnitz," Witt said. "A slider down and in, at that point of the game, it's obviously disappointing. But the way the team came back was unbelievable." The comeback started immediately as Mike Buddie (0-1) replaced Brewers starter Ben Sheets to start the bottom of the fifth. Reggie Sanders reached on an infield hit with one out, Erubiel Durazo doubled and Buddie uncorked a wild pitch that trimmed the Diamondbacks' deficit to 5-3. After Matt Williams walked, Craig Counsell came through with an RBI single that chased Buddie. Mark Leiter retired Rod Barajas on a foulout, but pinch hitter David Dellucci walked to load the bases and Womack singled to put Arizona in front. "They're a first-place team, they're not going to lay down," Burnitz said. "They had it rolling after we scored. We had the momentum, they turned it right back around." The Diamondbacks batted around again in the sixth. Allen Levrault walked the bases loaded with one out and pinch hitters Greg Colbrunn and Finley had RBI singles. A forceout by Womack plated another run and Bautista came through with a two-run double off Gandarillas. "A couple of guys didn't do it tonight in the bullpen," Lopes said. "We haven't done that all year long, give up runs like that."
|