Arizona Loses Stottlemyre, Wins Game

PHOENIX — Arizona starter Todd Stottlemyre knew early on that he wouldn’t be around long Sunday night.

Stottlemyre left after one inning because of inflammation in his right elbow, but the Diamondbacks scored six runs in the first to beat Colorado, 8-3, to remain in first place in the National League West.

Stottlemyre left the game after throwing 14 pitches and allowing one run and two hits in the first inning, and could be headed for the disabled list. Stottlemyre earlier spent 2 1/2 weeks on the DL because of elbow tendinitis.

Before the game, the Diamondbacks placed Matt Williams on the 15-day DL for the second time this season. The all-star third baseman has a strained right quadriceps muscle.

Stottlemyre will undergo an MRI today.

“I had a tough time cutting the ball loose in the bullpen,” he said. “I felt like the adrenaline and emotion would take over and I could get through it. But from the first pitch on it was pretty painful.”

After retiring Todd Helton on a fly ball to the warning track in center to end the first, Stottlemyre said something to Arizona Manager Buck Showalter at the dugout steps and walked down the tunnel to the clubhouse.

“When Todd isn’t fighting or arguing with you, you have a pretty good idea that he’s in some discomfort,” Showalter said.

Erubiel Durazo hit his seventh homer for the Diamondbacks, who won two of three to open a two-game lead over the Rockies.

“We’re still on top of the division and we’re playing beat-up,” said Mike Morgan (3-1), who pitched four-plus innings in relief of Stottlemyre.

As Morgan warmed up in the bullpen, the Diamondbacks rallied from the 1-0 deficit to score six runs off Pedro Astacio (6-5).

Tony Womack, Jay Bell and Luis Gonzalez opened with singles, tying the score at 1-1. Durazo, activated from the disabled list Saturday, followed with a three-run homer that landed a few feet in front of Morgan in the Diamondback bullpen for a 4-1 Arizona lead.

Astacio struck out two before giving up a single to Damian Miller and walking Craig Counsell and pinch-hitter Brian Anderson, who started Friday night’s game.

Womack got his second hit of the inning to score Miller and Counsell and make it 6-1.