With still no timetable set for shortstop Stephen Drew’s recovery from ankle and sports-hernia surgeries, the Diamondbacks believe they are covered in the event he isn’t ready for Opening Day.

“We knew after the injury that it was fairly significant and we just needed to make sure we protected ourselves in case he (isn’t ready),” Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers said Friday before participating in the Celebrity Golf Classic at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler.

A week after re-signing infielder John McDonald to a two-year contract, the Diamondbacks gave infielder Willie Bloomquist a two-year deal of his own.

The pair shared shortstop duties after Drew suffered a season-ending ankle injury in July. Drew had been bothered during the season by what the team was calling a lower-abdominal strain and wound up undergoing surgery for a sports hernia last month, Towers said.

Towers said Drew had not yet begun baseball-related activities in his rehab.

“It’s just the healing process is still taking over,” Towers said. “Hopefully in the first part of the year. That’s our hope, that come January, at least six weeks before spring training, he’ll start doing more baseball-specific type training, maybe some agility drills, just to find out how the ankle feels.

“I’m not ever going to say he’s not going to be ready. It’s kind of a contract year for him, which is probably important. We have an option out there. I think he’s going to want to prove that he’s healthy and can play.”

Viable alternative

While the Diamondbacks continue to wait on a decision from free-agent second baseman Aaron Hill - they offered him a contract and expect word by the end of the weekend – they know they have a versatile player in infielder Ryan Roberts, whose position will depend on Hill’s outcome.

If Hill returns, Roberts would remain at third base, where he ranked among the majors’ more-productive offensive players at the position.

But if Hill departs, Towers said Roberts likely would shift to second base and the club would pursue a third baseman via trade or free agency.

Roberts said he doesn’t have a position preference.

“I absolutely don’t care at all,” Roberts said. “Just to be in the lineup and to play is good enough. It doesn’t matter where.”

Roberts, who has played more games at second base than any other position in his professional career, said he’ll take ground balls at both second and third this off-season.

Short hops

The Diamondbacks will open their 35-game Cactus League schedule March 3 with a split-squad game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields. They’ll play 16 home games and three road games at Salt River Fields.

The Diamondbacks this week signed right-hander Chris Jakubauskas to a minor-league deal. Jakubauskas, 32, has a career 5.58 ERA in 166 innings with Seattle, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

- Right-hander Kam Mickolio, whom the club acquired from Baltimore last year as part of the Mark Reynolds trade, will play next season in Japan. The Diamondbacks sold Mickolio’s rights to the Hiroshima Carp.

Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra was named the 2011 Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient for left field in the National League.

The award recognizes the best defensive players at their respective positions as voted by major-league managers and coaches. Parra was one of nine first-time winners this season.

Parra, 24, is the third Diamondbacks player to win a Gold Glove Award, joining outfielder Steve Finley (1999, 2000) and second baseman Orlando Hudson (2006, 2007). Parra posted a .993 fielding percentage, committing only two errors in 281 total chances, with 12 assists in 125 games (117 starts) in left field.

Among NL left fielders, Parra ranked first in assists and fourth in fielding percentage. Among all NL outfielders, his 12 assists tied for the most with the Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez. Parra’s 12 assists tied for the most in a season in franchise history with Eric Byrnes in 2007.

Overall, Parra appeared in 135 games (124 starts) in the outfield and posted a .990 fielding percentage with three errors in 303 total chances. He also played 14 games (six starts) in right field and two games (one start) in center field.

Elsewhere, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier became the first trio of Dodgers to win NL Gold Gloves in the same year, and Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury became the first three Red Sox in 32 seasons to win the AL honor together.

Kershaw became a first-time winner at pitcher. Ethier, a former star at Arizona State, earned his first Gold Glove in the outfield and Kemp regained the NL award he also earned in 2009.

Gonzalez earned his first AL Gold Glove to go along with two he won in the NL while with San Diego, Pedroia won at second base for the first time since 2008 and Ellsbury picked up his first Gold Glove.

The previous three Red Sox to win in the same year were shortstop Rick Burleson along with outfielders Dwight Evans and Fred Lynn in 1979.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle was the lone AL holdover, winning for the third straight year. Baltimore’s Matt Wieters won at catcher, the Angels’ Erick Aybar at shortstop, Texas’ Adrian Beltre at third, and Kansas City’s Alex Gordon and Baltimore’s Nick Markakis in the outfield.

Beltre won for the third time, after gaining the award in 2007 and 2008.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina became the first NL catcher to win in four straight years since Charles Johnson from 1995-98.

Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips also won along with Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Philadelphia third baseman Placido Polanco. Phillips and Tulowitzki joined Molina as the NL holdovers, with Phillips winning for the third time in four years. Polanco won AL Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2009.

This year’s AL group displaced Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer; Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and shortstop Derek Jeter; Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria; former Rays outfielder Carl Crawford; and Seattle outfielders Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez.

Suzuki’s streak of Gold Gloves ended at 10. The right fielder, who had won in every one of his big league seasons, had tied the AL record for Gold Gloves by an outfielder shared by Ken Griffey Jr. and Al Kaline.

Last year’s NL winners included Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, Reds third baseman Scott Rolen and Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez and Philadelphia’s Shane Victorino joined in the outfield by Michael Bourn, then of Houston.

Beltre and Gonzalez each earned $100,000 bonuses, while Aybar and Markakis get $75,000 apiece. Molina, Pedroia, Polanco and Votto each receive $50,000, and Tulowitzki and Buehrle both get $25,000.

Phillips gets an automatic $250,000 raise next season to $12.25 million under the option the Reds exercised Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Today’s pitching matchup: Diamondbacks LHP Wade Miley (3-2, 4.24 ERA) vs. Pirates RHP Ross Ohlendorf (1-2, 6.82).

Miley is coming off a loss against the San Diego Padres in which he went six innings and allowed two runs and five hits. He gave up all of those runs in a 28-pitch first inning but recovered nicely to keep the Padres scoreless after that. Miley is seeking his first win since Sept. 5 when he had perhaps his best outing of the season. He went seven innings, struck out six and allowed a pair of runs in a win against the Colorado Rockies. This is his first appearance against the Pirates. … Ohlendorf got a win in his most-recent outing after struggling in his previous six starts. He went seven innings and allowed two runs and four hits in a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Read More: Joe Saunders (P – ARI), Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants

The Arizona Diamondbacks claimed a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday with a balanced offensive attack and timely pitching by Joe Saunders. The Diamondbacks are now seven games up on the San Francisco Giants in the NL West.

The two teams remained scoreless through the first two innings until Miguel Montero swatted a two-run homer in the third inning. The Rockies came right back and hit two home runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to Kevin Millwood and Carlos Gonzalez, tying the game at 2-2.

Another home run by Willin Rosario in the fourth inning gave the Rockies the 3-2 edge, but a two-run inning in the top of sixth (courtesy of John McDonald and Saunders) gave the lead back to the Diamondbacks. Justin Upton added another home run for Arizona in the following inning, giving the Diamondbacks a 5-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

Saunders gave up big hits in the third and fourth innings, but rebounded to hold the Rockies to just three runs. In six innings, he gave up seven hits and three runs with four strikeouts and one walk. Bryan Shaw, Alberto Castillo, David Hernandez and J.J. Putz held the Rockies scoreless over the game’s final three innings to secure the Arizona victory.

The Diamondbacks are in control of the NL West and have a seven-game lead on the Giants with 19 games left in the season. Arizona is now 82-61 overall and will look to keep up its strong play in order to secure a postseason berth.

DENVER (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have dominated the Colorado Rockies this season. A big swing and a late rally changed that for one night.

Troy Tulowitzki homered, Seth Smith tripled twice and the Rockies rallied to beat the streaking Diamondbacks 8-3 on Tuesday night.

Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez had two hits each for Colorado, which beat Arizona for just the fifth time in 17 games.

The rally capped an eventful day for Pacheco and catcher Wilin Rosario. Both players were called up before the game and made their major league debuts against the Diamondbacks.

“I felt comfortable,” Rosario said. “After I threw the first ball back to the pitcher and they said, ‘Play ball’, I felt comfortable.”

Pacheco played third and got a hit in his first big league at-bat. He also made an error that led to an Arizona run but it was nullified by Tulowitzki’s homer.

“Pacheco had some great at-bats tonight got a couple of hits, drove in a couple of runs,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “He’s not afraid to work either.”

The Rockies’ win temporarily put the brakes on Arizona’s drive to the NL West title. The Diamondbacks had won 12 of their last 13 to take a seven-game lead in the division.

Arizona led 3-1 and appeared headed to its fourth straight win when the Rockies rallied for seven runs with two outs in the eighth. With Dexter Fowler on first, Mark Ellis singled to left and Carlos Gonzalez knocked in a run with a single to center off reliever David Hernandez (3-3).

Tulowitzki followed with his 30th homer to center to make it 5-3.

“I’ve had three of those nights where I’ve given up multiple runs,” Hernandez said. “I hung a slider to Tulo and he did what he’s supposed to do to with it.”

It was the second straight game Tulowitzki hit a three-run homer.

“I was fired up for myself and the fact that I hit a go-ahead home run,” he said.

Hernandez gave up a single to Ty Wigginton before Joe Patterson came on, and Smith greeted him with an RBI triple that made it 6-3. After Rosario walked, Pacheco followed with a run-scoring single.

Sam Demel relieved Patterson and hit Kevin Kouzmanoff with a pitch to load the bases and then walked Fowler to make it 8-3.

Matt Belisle (10-4) got the win in relief.

Arizona broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh as Paul Goldschmidt led off with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Gerardo Parra’s single to left.

The Diamondbacks made it 3-1 when Hill scored from third on a throwing error by third baseman Pacheco in the eighth.

“That ball to Pacheco is a tough play,” Tulowitzki said.

The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the first when Hill and Upton hit consecutive one-out singles to put runners at the corners and Montero followed with an RBI grounder.

The Rockies tied it in the fifth when Smith led off with a triple to center and scored on Pacheco’s grounder to third.

Colorado starter Jason Hammel went seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and struck out six.

NOTES: Rockies 1B Todd Helton didn’t play for the third straight day due to back stiffness. … Rockies OF Ryan Spilborghs (right foot) will likely not play the rest of the season. … The Rockies promoted Pacheco and right-hander Jim Miller from Triple-A Colorado Springs, and brought up catcher Wilin Rosario from Double-A Tulsa before the game. They placed INF Jonathan Herrera (right index finger) on the 60-day DL. … Arizona lefty Joe Saunders will face Rockies righty Kevin Millwood in the series finale Wednesday night.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 6, 2011

DENVER — The bullpen has played a key role in Arizona’s rise to the top of the NL West this season.

This time, it didn’t work out so well for the Diamondbacks’ relievers.

Troy Tulowitzki homered, Seth Smith tripled twice and the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat streaking Arizona 8-3 on Tuesday night.

It was a rare blown save for the Diamondbacks, who came into the game with a 65-3 record when leading after seven innings and were four outs away from another victory when the Rockies erupted for seven runs against three relievers.

“It was a normal game, just the ending was different,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. “Something we haven’t experienced yet. It’s disappointing we lost the game but we’ll regroup, come back tomorrow and be fine.”

Arizona led 3-1 and appeared headed to its fourth straight win when the Rockies rallied two outs in the eighth. With Dexter Fowler on first, Mark Ellis singled to left and Carlos Gonzalez knocked in a run with a single to center off David Hernandez (3-3).

Tulowitzki followed with his 30th homer to make it 5-3.

Hernandez has been reliable all year long but admitted he wasn’t sharp Tuesday.

“I’ve had three of those nights where I’ve given up multiple runs,” Hernandez said. “I hung a slider to Tulo and he did what he’s supposed to do to it.”

Hernandez gave up a single to Ty Wigginton before Joe Patterson came on, and Smith greeted him with an RBI triple that made it 6-3. After Wilin Rosario walked, Jordan Pacheco followed with a run-scoring single.

Sam Demel relieved Patterson and hit Kevin Kouzmanoff with a pitch to load the bases, then walked Fowler to make it 8-3.

“You never expect that,” starter Josh Collmenter said. “Anytime you turn the ball over to our bullpen you expect good results. I’ll give it to them every time and they’ll pick me up.”

After he was lifted from the game, Hernandez was ejected by home plate umpire Todd Tichenor for arguing balls and strikes as he left the field.

“I threw a few off-speed pitches I wanted,” he said. “That’s really not me, I don’t show emotion but when you lose a ballgame it adds a little to it.”

The late rally spoiled a good outing for Collmenter, who gave up one run and five hits in 6 1-3 innings before leaving with runners on first and second. Brad Ziegler got out of the jam when Eric Young Jr. was tagged out at home trying to score on a pitch that went to the backstop and Rosario struck out.

“Josh threw a great game, Ziegler did a great job, it just didn’t go good after that,” Gibson said.

Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez had two hits apiece for Colorado, which beat Arizona for just the fifth time in 17 games.

Aaron Hill and Justin Upton had two hits each for the division-leading Diamondbacks, who had won 12 of 13.

Matt Belisle (10-4) got the win in relief.

Arizona snapped a 1-all tie in the seventh. Paul Goldschmidt led off with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Gerardo Parra’s single to left.

The Diamondbacks made it 3-1 when Hill scored from third on a throwing error by third baseman Pacheco in the eighth.

The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the first. Hill and Upton hit consecutive one-out singles to put runners at the corners and Miguel Montero followed with a run-scoring grounder.

The Rockies tied it in the fifth when Smith led off with a triple to center and scored on Pacheco’s grounder to third.

Colorado starter Jason Hammel went seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned, and six hits.

Notes

• Rockies 1B Todd Helton didn’t play for the third straight day due to back stiffness.
• Rockies OF Ryan Spilborghs (right foot) will likely not play the rest of the season.
• The Rockies promoted Pacheco and right-hander Jim Miller from Triple-A Colorado Springs, and brought up catcher Rosario from Double-A Tulsa. They placed INF Jonathan Herrera (right index finger) on the 60-day DL.
• Arizona LHP Joe Saunders will face RHP Kevin Millwood in the series finale Wednesday night.