610xD-backs rally for second straight win over Rockies

DENVER — The boiling over could’ve backfired on Mark Reynolds.

The Diamondbacks third baseman could’ve come across as nothing more than a malcontent after recently bashing his team for their lackluster play.

Instead, the diatribe had the intended effect.

Reynolds hit a three-run homer to help the Diamondbacks rally for a second straight win, beating the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Sunday.

“Sometimes that’s all it takes, just a little kick in the butt to get guys going,” said Reynolds, who went off Friday night after a sloppy loss. “This is what I was talking about the other day — don’t give up, you never know what’s going to happen.”

Arizona leaves town playing better baseball, winning its first series since mid-June in Kansas City.

“Just got to keep battling,” said Felipe Lopez, whose RBI single in the seventh broke a tie. “Keep picking up guys.”

The Diamondbacks picked up Dan Haren on a day when he wasn’t his crisp and highly effective self.

Haren (8-5) allowed three runs — one earned — before being taken out in the seventh for a pinch hitter. The three runs allowed were his most since May 23 at Oakland.

“He’s been picking us up all year, so it’s nice for a change,” Lopez said.

Colorado certainly didn’t think he was struggling. The Rockies managed seven hits and struck out six times against Haren, who earlier in the day was selected to his third straight All-Star team.

“He’s always tough,” Ian Stewart said.

Reynolds ignited the Diamondbacks on Sunday by breaking up Ubaldo Jimenez’s no-hit bid with his towering shot to left in the sixth inning.

Up until then, Jimenez (6-8) had been dominant against the Diamondbacks, throwing 19 scoreless innings going back to last season.

Jimenez got two quick outs that inning before walking Alex Romero and Stephen Drew, setting the stage for Reynolds’ 24th homer of the season.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy thought the fastball was the right pitch to Reynolds, just the wrong location.

“He didn’t get the pitch up high enough,” Tracy said. “This is a game of inches. He makes that pitch a few inches higher and Mark doesn’t get it.”

Now, Reynolds is launching his campaign to make the All-Star team.

Left off the squad, he’s hoping fans click his name often so he can secure the final spot through Internet voting. He’s competing with four other NL players for that last spot.

“If they want to put me in there, that’s fine. If not, I’ll have a little vacation,” Reynolds said.

At Philadelphia, Joe Blanton pitched four-hit ball into the eighth inning, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each homered off Johan Santana (9-7) and the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of their NL East rival.