PHOENIX — Making his MLB Playoff debut as a pinch-hitter, former Kentucky All-America outfielder Collin Cowgill delivered a clutch two-out, two-RBI single to help boast the Arizona Diamondbacks to a crucial 10-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, on Wednesday night at Chase Field.
Arizona manager Kirk Gibson elected to pull starter Joseph Saunders in favor of Cowgill with two outs in the bottom of the third inning of the must-win game on Wednesday. With the Diamondbacks leading 5-3, Cowgill stroked a line-drive single into leftfield to up the lead to 7-3.
The pressure-filled at bat was his first career postseason appearance, coming for the National League Western Division Champion Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series. The clutch hit came on a 2-0 offering from Milwaukee southpaw Randy Wolf, scoring fellow rookie Paul Goldschmidt and centerfielder Chris Young.
With the win, the Diamondbacks forced the decisive fifth game of the NL Division Series, set for 5 p.m. ET on Friday in Milwaukee on TBS.
A native of Lexington, Ky., and a product of Henry Clay High School, Cowgill has been a productive member of the Diamondbacks since his MLB debut earlier in the season after a prolific season in Triple-A Reno. In his first 36 games in spot-duty action as a fourth outfielder, Cowgill hit .239 (22-for-92) with three doubles, one homer and nine RBI, swiping four bases.
While at Reno, Cowgill was named the 2011 Pacific Coast League Rookie of the Year, while also starting in centerfield in the PCL All-Star Game as the leading vote getter. In 98 games for the Aces, Cowgill batted .354 (140-for-395) with 13 homers and 70 RBI, adding 24 doubles, eight triples and 30 stolen bases.
One of the more prolific winners in UK baseball history, Cowgill earned All-America honors as a junior, before being a fifth-round selection in the MLB Draft by the Diamondbacks. During his three seasons with the Wildcats, Cowgill batted .306 (171-for-558), in 165 games, with 166 runs, 35 doubles, 37 homers, 140 RBI and 32 stolen bases. While leading UK to the 2006 Southeastern Conference Championship, Cowgill hit .298 with 16 homers and 61 RBI. After a injury-forced redshirt season in 2007, Cowgill teamed with fellow All-America outfielder Sawyer Carroll to spark UK to a school-record 44 wins in 2008, owning a .361 average with 19 homers, 60 RBI and 23 stolen bags.
