DENVER (Ticker) -- Preston Wilson's performance at the plate and on the field helped the Colorado Rockies extend their modest winning streak.
Wilson's one-out double in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Todd Helton with the winning run as Colorado Rockies rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona reliever Miguel Batista (0-1) got Jay Payton to ground out to open the 10th inning but walked Helton. Wilson followed with a double into the gap in left-center field to give the Rockies their first extra-inning win since June 22, 2002.
"We're happy about anything," said Wilson, whose hustle in the outfield saved a run in the fifth inning. "It's great to come back and grab that game after being behind early. It was just a total team win, everybody did their heart. I think they did a good job of bringing in guys who know how to play the game and who like to fight. I don't think anybody on our bench is going to pack it up until the last out."
Steve Reed (1-0), the fifth pitcher for Colorado, walked two but did not allow a run in the top of the 10th.
Colorado erased a 3-1 deficit in the sixth against Randy Johnson. With Chris Stynes aboard, Jay Payton belted a 1-1 pitch from the Diamondbacks starter over the right field wall.
The Rockies have won three in a row after starting the season 0-2. They have won five straight home games dating to last season, all against the Diamondbacks.
Johnson had a no-hitter through 4 2/3 innings before Jose Hernandez smacked a solo homer. Hernandez had been batting .087 against Johnson with 16 strikeouts in 23 at-bats.
"We brought Jose into the locker room before the game because I saw the numbers and they're obviously a little alarming," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "And I just asked him what his approach had been in the past and he told me and I said, `Well, can we try a different one?' He was able to put the barrel on the bat and do what he's capable of. I'm sure it's satisfying for him."
Johnson, who gave up five runs in 6 2/3 innings on Opening Day, struck out 10 batters for his 187th career double-digit strikeout game, and walked one. He gave up three runs and two hits - both home runs - in six innings as Arizona dropped its third straight game.
"I felt pretty good," Johnson said. "I guess this might be a typical Coors Field game where you give up two hits and you walk off the field shaking your head cause you've given up three runs. They weren't the wrong pitch, just the wrong location. Obviously, being at this ballpark and hitters trying to catch up to my fastball today provided the power for them. And they put the ball in play and in this ballpark, anything can happen."
The Diamondbacks fell to 1-4 this season. Saturday's game was only their second scoring more than one run.
"We're gonna be all right, its just one of those things that's happening right now," Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez said. "We've just got to find a way to get out of it. It's not like when we came to Colorado either offense is really jumped out at you.
"They've gotten some timely hits and scored runs when they needed to. They've gotten some great plays by Preston Wilson out there in center field. He's having a good series defensively as well as offensively."
Things look good for the Diamondbacks early. Tony Womack opened the first with a single, stole second base and went to third on Rockies catcher Bobby Estalella's throwing error and scored on Quinton McCracken's sacrifice fly.
Johnson gave Arizona a 2-0 lead with an RBI single to fourth. He tied a career high with two hits and recorded his first multi-hit game since September 25, 2002 and sixth of his career.
The Diamondbacks increased their advantage to three runs an inning later. After Junior Spivey singled, Wilson robbed Luis Gonzalez of a home run. He leaped and knocked the ball back into play but could not hold on, resulting in a double. Spivey went to third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Williams.
"You never really know when you're going to get a glove on it or not," Wilson said. "I was just lucky to get a glove on it and pull it back in play. A lot of times you tip it and it still goes out or you miss it all together. So I just got lucky. I hit my arm, but I think I was really outstretched and I don't think I would have caught it. I was real lucky actually.
"That's why you never give up on any play and you don't try to concede anything. You never know when that can come back and get you. Our defense did a good job of putting us in a position to fight back."
