Hudson's bat lifts Diamondbacks over Rockies

Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 4

PHOENIX (AP) -- Orlando Hudson is firmly established as a Gold Glove fielder and one of the game's fastest talkers. Now his bat is making some noise, too.

Hudson singled three times, then brought home the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly, and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 on Saturday night.

Diamondbacks rookie Miguel Montero tied it in the eighth with his first big-league homer, a solo shot.

The Rockies went on to walk three batters to load the bases. That brought up Hudson, whose fly to short center field was enough to bring home Scott Hairston from third.

"I was just looking to put the ball in play and let the chips fall where they may," Hudson said.

With his seventh multi-hit game -- in 12 games -- this season, Hudson boosted his average to .396.

"He's been unbelievable," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "That's why he's hitting in the three hole, and he's really embracing it too. You put your best hitter in the three hole. Guys take pride in that, and he's our guy right now."

Garrett Atkins put Colorado up 4-3 with a leadoff home run off reliever Brandon Medders in the seventh, but the Diamondbacks tied it with one out in the eighth when Montero hit LaTroy Hawkins' 3-2 changeup into the right field seats.

"It feels great," Montero said. "It ties the ball game in a good situation. It started firing up the team and it feels great. It's the best day of my career so far."

And many more to come?

"Many more to come," he replied with a smile, "Seven-hundred and fifty-five."

The Rockies came back from a 3-1 deficit to tie it on Todd Helton's two-run double off starter Livan Hernandez with two outs in the fifth.

Hawkins (0-3) took the loss and was more upset with his walk to Hairston than he was about his home run to Montero.

"I don't mind getting beat, but I don't like walking guys," he said. "He has to earn his way on. Don't give him a free pitch."

Hawkins is off to a rough start after signing with Colorado as a free agent in the offseason.

"I keep giving him opportunities," manager Clint Hurdle said. "That's what we got him for. It's early. We've seen him good. He's been very good."

Brandon Lyon (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the victory. Jeremy Affeldt walked both batters he faced in relief of Hawkins. Ramon Ramirez, Colorado's fifth pitcher of the night, gave up Hudson's sacrifice fly.

Jose Valverde allowed hits to Helton and Matt Holliday in the ninth but held on for his fifth save in six tries.

Both starters went six innings. Aaron Cook gave up three runs and eight hits, walking two and striking out two. Hernandez allowed three runs, two earned, and six hits in six innings. He walked six, struck out two and balked.

Arizona broke a 1-1 tie in the third when Tony Clark's blooper fell between second baseman Kazuo Matsui and right fielder Brad Hawpe for a two-run double. Hudson had singled with one out, then Chad Tracy was walked intentionally with two outs to bring up Clark.

Tracy doubled twice and scored a run.

Colorado got an unearned run in the second. Holliday led off with a double, then scored with two outs when shortstop Stephen Drew threw wildly to first on Cook's grounder.

Arizona tied it in the bottom of the second. Tracy hit an opposite-field ground-rule double, advanced to third on Clark's ground out and scored on Montero's sacrifice fly.

In the fifth, Chris Iannetta tried to score from second on Willie Taveras' single but was thrown out easily by right fielder Alberto Callaspo. Colorado, though, wasn't finished in the inning.

With two outs, Matsui singled and Atkins walked to load the bases, then Todd Helton singled on the first pitch to bring two runners home and tie it at 3.

Game notes
Matsui left the game in the bottom of the fifth with lower back spasms. ... Arizona's Brandon Webb was presented with his 2006 Cy Young award -- and an acoustic guitar -- in a ceremony before the game.