We hung in there last night as the Arizona Diamondbacks fell behind 5-1 to the lowly Houston Astros at Chase Field.
Memories of Tuesday night's classic comeback win over the `Stros (down 7-1 in that one) were fresh in our minds, as was the spunk that the first-place locals (first place! Go figure!) showed down the stretch after sleepwalking through the early innings.
You could go an entire season without replicating the excitement of Arizona's earlier comeback win against a formerly top franchise that these days has the distinct feel of a very good Triple-A team.
But it happened last night.
Ryan Roberts, a true sparkplug and kind of a poor man's Dustin Pedroia (former ASU great now tearing it up for the Boston Red Sox) got0 huge hits in the both the eighth and ninth innings.
We love that tatted-up little guy.
The D-Backs were down to their last out in the bottom of the ninth, with the tying run at the plate in the form of rawboned rookie Paul Goldschmidt.
Goldschmidt has been going through the inevitable struggles since his recent call-up from Double-A Mobile, a powerful kid with a world of potential.
Manager Kurt Gibson called on the Texas first-baseman to pinch hit.
The big guy fouled off two tough pitches on a 2-2 count, and then went deep, real deep to left, about 420 feet.
Total drama.
Big smiles.
Chris Young ended it in the 10th, with his first homer in more than a month.
D-Backs win 8-5.
The inevitable wild celebration ensued, and deservedly so.
Biggest win of the year -- again.
The San Francisco Giants were idle last night so the win means that the D-Backs are in sole possession of first place in the National League West by a full game.
The New York Mets are in town for a weekend series. The games will be on Channel 34 and KTAR-620, with the first pitch tonight at 6:40. For more information, go to www.diamondbacks.com.
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season in late September, this has become a lot of fun.