PHOENIX — Relief pitcher Archie Bradley hit a stunning two-run triple in the seventh inning, one of four triples by Arizona that sent the Diamondbacks past the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the National League wild-card game Wednesday night.

Paul Goldschmidt launched an early three-run homer and the Diamondbacks built a 6-0 lead before ace Zack Greinke faltered. Colorado climbed back into it and cut it to 8-7 when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story hit consecutive homers in the eighth off Bradley, perhaps exhausted from hustling around the bases.

But then A.J. Pollock knocked in two runs with Arizona’s fourth triple, this one off closer Greg Holland, as the Diamondbacks scored three times in their half of the eighth to finally put a wild game away.

Arizona moves on to a best-of-five Division Series against the NL West champion Dodgers, a team the Diamondbacks beat the last six times they played. Game 1 is Friday night in Los Angeles.

NOTES

RANGERS: Prince Fielder was released Wednesday by the Texas Rangers, more than 15 months after playing his last game and still owed about $72 million over the next three seasons.

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The Rangers reached a settlement with the company that insured the contract. General Manager Jon Daniels said he couldn’t discuss details, but it allowed the team to release Fielder and free up a spot on its 40-man roster.

Fielder had to quit playing in July 2016 after his second cervical fusion in his neck in just over two years. He didn’t formally retire and the Rangers kept him on the roster to receive disability insurance payments that covered part of his salary.

During the season, Texas had Fielder on the 60-day disabled list, which doesn’t count against the roster limit. But there is no 60-day DL during the offseason, and he would have had to go back on the 40-man roster again like he was last winter.

Fielder got a $214 million, nine-year contract in 2012 from Detroit, which traded him to Texas after two seasons. The Tigers owed Texas $6 million this year and another $6 million in 2018, and $7 million in each of the following two years. The Rangers are responsible for the remainder.

Texas fired bullpen coach Brad Holman and exercised its 2019 option on Manager Jeff Banister’s contract.

Banister has a 261-225 record over three seasons in his first managerial job. The Rangers were AL West champions his first two seasons but missed the playoffs this year.

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Holman was the bullpen coach the past two seasons after seven years as a pitching coach in the Rangers’ minor league system. Texas this season had 29 saves, the second-lowest total in the majors, and its save percentage of 58 was the second-lowest in the American League.

The team also said that Hector Ortiz, who had been the first- base coach, will take over as bullpen coach and remain the team’s catching instructor.

ANGELS: Hitting coach Dave Hansen won’t return next season.

The Angels announced the move three days after finishing 80-82 and missing the postseason for the third straight year.

Hansen had been Los Angeles’ hitting coach for two seasons following two years as the assistant hitting coach.


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