PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks were having another bad night until Luis Gonzalez's clutch hit.
Gonzalez's RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth gave the Diamondbacks a dramatic 4-3 triumph over the Colorado Rockies.
Off to their worst 14-game start since 1998, the Diamondbacks were forced scratch Randy Johnson from his scheduled start due to inflammation in his right knee. It was just the second time in the last three seasons the ace lefthander missed a start.
The two-time defending National League West champions faced a 3-1 deficit after Todd Helton homered in the top of the eighth.
But Arizona (4-11) rallied against closer Jose Jimenez (0-2) and ended a five-game losing streak against the Rockies.
Steve Finley led off with a single and Tony Womack singled one out later. Jimenez walked Craig Counsell before David Dellucci tied it with a two-run single. Gonzalez followed by lining Jimenez's 1-0 offering over the head of center fielder Preston Wilson.
Gonzalez was hitless in his first four at-bats, three with runners in scoring position. But he gave Arizona its third win of the season in its final at-bat.
"I had the bases-loaded situation and flied out, then I had the line drive, so I felt pretty good going into my last at-bat," Gonzalez said. "It is a big boost for us. I am sure a lot of people counted us out, but we find ways even though we have been struggling.
"I hear a lot of people bemoaning our lack of effectiveness with runners in scoring position, but I guarantee you it was not because of a lack of effort or lack of concentration," Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly added.
Matt Mantei (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win. He has three of Arizona's four victories.
"It was a real good ballgame until the bottom of the ninth," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We couldn't close it out. We played well, faced some tough pitching over there. We just couldn't put it away in the ninth."
Arizona replaced Johnson with Miguel Batista. In his first start of the season, Batista allowed two runs and five hits in six innings with three walks.
Colorado starter Darren Oliver also went six innings and yielded one run and three hits. He also had a potential home run robbed by Gonzalez in the fifth.
Oliver departed with a one-run lead after Larry Walker plated Ron Belliard with a single in the sixth for his seventh RBI of the four-game series.
Colorado needed outstanding defense to preserve the lead. With runners at the corners following singles by Counsell and Danny Bautista, Belliard took away a hit from Gonzalez with a leaping catch at second base, then threw to first for a double play.
"The bottom line is us winning," Oliver said. "It is about wins and losses, and I did OK. But it was a tough loss tonight."
Oliver settled down after a shaky opening two innings and retired 10 in a row before rookie Lyle Overby reached on Helton's error at first base in the sixth.
But the Rockies tied it in the second on an RBI double by Chris Stynes.
