Saving Arizona Can Be Trying

Byung-Hyun Kim didn’t have to wait five months to redeem himself.

Junior Spivey hit a run-scoring double with two out in the 10th inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame Kim’s first blown save this season to beat Philadelphia, 6-5, Saturday night at Philadelphia and end the Phillies’ seven-game winning streak.

The Phillies trailed, 5-0, in the fourth inning, but scored four runs against Randy Johnson and tied the score, 5-5, on Tomas Perez’s one-out homer against Kim in the ninth.

Kim (1-0) had converted his 10 save opportunities this season after blowing Games 4 and 5 in the World Series against the New York Yankees last year.

“We had every intention of taking him out after the ninth because he had thrown 26 pitches, but after we scored the run, he insisted he was fine to throw one more,” Diamondback Manager Bob Brenly said. “Pitchers aren’t robots. They make mistakes. BK is no different.”

Kim pitched a perfect 10th for the victory. He gave up two hits in three innings, and struck out the side on nine pitches in the eighth.

“I got hit, just like any other day,” Kim said through an interpreter. “I felt confident I could pitch one more inning.”

In last season’s World Series, Kim gave up a game-tying home run to Tino Martinez in the ninth inning of Game 4, and a game-winning homer to Derek Jeter moments later. He gave up a game-tying, two-out ninth inning shot to Scott Brosius in Game 5.

Kim didn’t pitch again in the series, but Arizona won in seven games.

“I hope there are no flashbacks. I don’t think they’ll be any lasting effects,” Brenly said.

Johnson gave up four runs, eight hits--two homers--and struck out eight in seven innings.

“It’s tough to give Randy Johnson a 5-0 lead,” Phillie Manager Larry Bowa said. “He’s a dominant pitcher. But we battled hard.”