PHOENIX – Wade Miley fell just short of becoming the first NL rookie pitcher to win 17 games in 27 years. Still he considers his first full season in the majors a qualified success.
"It's bittersweet," said Miley, who threw 7 2-3 innings but received a no-decision in the Arizona Diamondbacks' 7-5 loss in 13 innings to the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Miley finished 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA and is in the running for the NL Rookie of the Year award. He threw 194 2-3 innings in a franchise rookie record 29 starts, striking out 144 and walking only 37.
"I am not really an individual type guy," Miley said. "We had the experience of going to the playoffs last year. That was my main goal. Nothing else. I really didn't set too many personal goals at all. I just wanted to help the team win."
Arizona manager Kirk Gibson was less equivocal in summarizing Miley's season, which included an All-Star appearance.
"The numbers speak for themselves," Gibson said. "He threw the ball very well. It was a very fitting end to a really nice season for him."
Miley allowed three runs and six hits over 7 2-3 innings. He struck out a career-high 10 and did not walk a batter for the second time in three starts.
"I didn't make some pitches there in the end," Miley said. "I have to forget about those things now and take the positives into the offseason."
The Rockies scored twice in the eighth to take a 3-2 lead against the left-hander.
Blackmon reached on an infield single and was sacrificed to second. Miley struck out Jordan Pacheco for the second out but Josh Rutledge lined a double off the wall in right-center to tie the game at 2.
Colvin doubled just inside the right-field line, scoring Rutledge for Colorado's first lead.
"I let him go longer than I probably would normally because this was his last start," Gibson said. "Usually in those situations you don't let a guy lose the game like that. Wade's demeanor was he wanted to pitch. I let him go a little longer and it ended up biting us."
Paul Goldschmidt sent the game into extra innings when he homered off Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt with one out in the ninth to make it 3-all.
Tyler Colvin led off the 13th with a ground-rule double off Brad Bergesen (2-1), and Nelson followed with a looping single to center. Charlie Blackmon later added a bases-loaded, RBI single off Mike Zagurski, the Diamondbacks' seventh pitcher. Nelson scored on a fielder's choice, and Matt McBride came home on a wild pitch to complete the rally.
"You look at the bullpen — 5 1-3 (innings), seven hits, four runs but four walks," said Gibson. "That is just a killer and very indicative of what we haven't done. The walks really hurt us."
Josh Outman (1-3) allowed two runs, walked two and struck out two for the win.
Josh Roenicke recorded the final two outs for his first career save in his 127th appearance despite issuing a bases-loaded, one-out walk to Konrad Schmidt and a sacrifice fly to Chris Johnson.
"We certainly shouldn't have done what we did in the bottom of the 13th," Tracy said. "To give up three or four base on balls ... I can't comprehend that. I can't compute that."
Rockies starter Drew Pomeranz nearly matched Miley during his five-inning stint.
Pomeranz allowed two runs and three hits - the two solo home runs and a third-inning single by John McDonald. He walked two and matched a career high with seven strikeouts.
Aaron Hill gave the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead two batters into the game with his 25th home run. Gerardo Parra made it 2-0 when he led off the fifth inning with his first home run in just over three months.
The win was the Rockies' 63rd, assuring them of not becoming the first 100-loss team in club history.
NOTES: The game was the longest in innings for either team this season and the Diamondbacks' longest home game in time. ... Goldschmidt returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sore back. . Rockies OF Rafael Ortega, who made his major league debut on Sunday, pinch-hit for Pomeranz in the sixth. ... Pomeranz finishes the season 1-4 on the road but was far better than his past three starts, in which he allowed five runs in 10 innings. ... Miley struck out the side in the third on nine pitches, the second player to accomplish the feat in the majors this season and the third player in Diamondbacks history following Randy Johnson and Byung-Hyun Kim. ... Parra's home run was his first since June 19 against Seattle, a span of 189 at-bats. ... LHP Patrick Corbin (6-8) takes the mound for Arizona on Tuesday against Rockies RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-5). Corbin, who was 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA in four straight early August starts, has gone 1-4 with a 6.94 ERA in his past seven appearances. Chacin is 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA against the Diamondbacks, 2-1 at Chase Field.
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