D-backs come back twice, can't do so a third time in 13-inning loss
PHOENIX -- Arizona sent its next-day starter out to pinch hit and replaced him with another starting pitcher, who stayed in the game to play left field.
It was that kind of game at Chase Field on Sunday. That it didn't work out made it that much tougher on the Diamondbacks.
Arizona pitcher Shelby Miller played left field and chased after Sean Rodriguez's go-ahead double in the 13th inning before striking out to end the game, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Diamondbacks 12-10 on Sunday.
"The opportunities were in front of us," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "To get to the point where we think we can be at some point this year, those are spots that we're going to welcome the pressure. Right now I think we are letting the pressure kind of overwhelm us."
A game that started like a blowout quickly devolved into a what-will-happen-next series of blown leads, clutch hits and desperation.
The Pirates led by five runs after three innings and blew two-run leads in the ninth and 12th, setting up a back-and-forth of bizarre-but-necessary moves involving pitchers.
Zack Greinke, Arizona's starter on Monday, pinch hit and lined a single during Arizona's 12th inning rally. He was replaced by Miller, who scored a run as a pinch-runner.
Miller had to stay in the game after shortstop Nick Ahmed was ejected for arguing a called third strike, becoming the first Diamondback pitcher to play a position and first major leaguer since Jason Gurka played right field for the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 15, according to STATS.
Miller had a hard time tracking down Rodriguez's double off Evan Marshall (0-1) in the 13th, though the run was going to score anyway.
Pittsburgh turned to a pitcher after Rodriguez's hit, sending out Jonathon Niese, scheduled starter Wednesday against Colorado. He came through, too, battling through a nine-pitch at-bat to line a run-scoring single that gave the Pirates two-run lead.
The game ended with Arquimedes Caminero striking Patrick Corbin, another starting pitcher-turned-pinch-hitter, and Miller for his first career save.
"Top-five crazy," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.
The Pirates had a season-high 20 hits and were up 8-3 through three innings after roughing up Robbie Ray.
Arizona rallied by scoring twice in the eighth and Paul Goldschmidt tied it in the ninth with a two-run homer in nearly the same spot he hit a solo shot in the opening frame.
Pittsburgh scored twice in the 12th to go up 10-8, but Neftali Feliz (1-0) couldn't hold that lead.
The Diamondbacks scored runs off him in the inning but failed to get the winning run in despite having a runner on third with one out.
"It was a good game. Kept coming back," Goldschmidt said. "They did the same. Have to give them a lot of credit. They found a way to win."
Arizona's Welington Castillo hit a three-run homer on his 29th birthday, giving him six homers and 11 RBIs the past seven games. Yasmany Tomas also homered for the Diamondbacks, who had 15 hits.
Arizona's pitchers had 17 strikeouts, second-most in team history at Chase Field. ... Pittsburgh's Mark Melacon had his streak of consecutive saves snapped at 18 after giving up the two-run homer to Goldschmidt in the ninth. ... Castillo became the eighth Diamondbacks player to homer on his birthday, and first since Justin Upton on Aug. 25, 2012 against San Diego. ... Pirates starter Francisco Liriano allowed four runs on five hits with six strikeouts in six innings. ... Goldschmidt had a rare off day on defense with the first two-error game of his career. One came on a squibber by Liriano in the second inning, the other while trying to throw home in the fourth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: INF Jung Ho Kang, who is recovering from knee surgery, got his first hit in 15 at-bats for Triple-A Indianapolis.
Diamondbacks: RHP Josh Collmenter (shoulder) will throw in extended spring training this week and is scheduled to go three innings at Class A Visalia on May 2. He could be back for Arizona's next road trip.
Pirates: LHP Jeff Locke will try for his first win of the season in his fourth start when the Pirates open a four-game series against Colorado on Monday.
Diamondbacks: RHP Greinke, Monday's starter against St. Louis, is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA his past two starts after a rough debut with Arizona.
