Diamondbacks win homer battle

PHOENIX — Tony Clark and Arizona newcomer Felipe Lopez each homered from both sides of the plate, and the Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies, 9-8, in a home run derby of an opener Monday.

Eight home runs were hit in the game, including the decisive shot by Chad Tracy leading off the seventh inning against reliever Jason Grilli (0-1). “It was a heavyweight fight out there. It was blow after blow,” Tracy said. “Every time we scored, they scored, and we finally had the last say.”

Lopez and Clark became the first switch-hitting teammates to homer from both sides of the plate in a game since Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams did it for the New York Yankees on April 23, 2000. It had never been done on opening day.

Lopez, signed as a free agent in the off-season, is the first Arizona player to homer twice in his first game with the team. He is the first to do it in the majors since Richie Sexson for Seattle on April 4, 2005.