3 years ago
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Rockies 2nd baseman Brendan Rodgers deserved each 2nd of the carnivore hug that awaited him successful the location dugout Friday night.
His dual antiaircraft plays – 1 successful the seventh and different successful the eighth – saved astatine slightest 3 runs and helped the Rockies prehend Friday night’s bid opener implicit the Diamondbacks, 9-4. The triumph extended the Rockies’ winning streak to four, improved their wide grounds to 56-66 and their location grounds to 42-21 connected the season.
Since May 21, the Rockies are 29-9 astatine Coors for the champion location grounds successful shot implicit that span.
“When you task yourself to beryllium an mundane subordinate successful the large leagues, and that’s your extremity to beryllium an mundane player, if you’re a mediate of the diamond player, similar (Rodgers) wants to be, you gotta play defense,” said Rockies manager Bud Black. “He showed contiguous he’s susceptible of those plays.”
Reliever Robert Stephenson (1-1) picked up the win, portion Arizona’s Brett De Geus (2-2) earned the loss.
But with 26 combined hits betwixt the 2 teams, ironically, it was Rodgers’ defence that changed the game.
Rodgers’ relay propulsion disconnected a Diamondback treble successful the apical of the eighth caught Ketel Marte astatine the plate. It was his diving drawback an inning earlier that prevented adjacent much damage.
Rockies reliever Jhoulys Chacin astir gave up the 6-4 pb successful the seventh. After loading the bases connected a azygous and 2 walks, Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta was inches from evening the score. Peralta drove a liner up the middle, but Rockies 2nd baseman Rodgers dove to his close and snatched the menace retired of the air. The inning-ending item preserved the pb heading into the past 2 frames.
“It was a large situation,” Rodgers said. “They got a mates inexpensive hits, a walk. That’s however large innings start. On defense, you’re ever wanting to marque that large play.”
Once successful the dugout, Chacin embraced Rodgers with the extended hug.
The Rockies created immoderate separation successful the sixth. Pinch-hitter Sam Hilliard ripped a triple down the first-base enactment to people Garrett Hampson and interruption the 4-4 tie. The adjacent batter up, Connor Joe, smacked a treble to halfway to marque it 6-4 Rockies. With Austin Gomber out, the crippled was successful the bullpen’s hands.
Gomber scattered six hits crossed 5 innings, allowing 3 earned runs, with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks. He was ne'er successful implicit command, but the Diamondbacks failed to instrumentality afloat vantage of the outing. He exited with a 4-3 lead, lone to spot reliever Robert Stephenson concede a game-tying tally 2 batters into the sixth inning.
Colorado threatened to ace it unfastened successful the bottommost of the fifth, with runners connected 2nd and 3rd and lone 1 out. But Ryan McMahon lined into an inning-ending double-play, thwarting the rally and the imaginable crooked number.
Trevor Story came astir successful the 3rd pursuing an opposite-field triple, and the Diamondbacks responded again connected Marte’s two-out solo changeable to right. An inning later, Rockies near fielder Joe dropped a well-placed azygous to right, plating Elias Diaz to springiness Colorado a tenuous 4-3 lead.
The Rockies’ aboriginal borderline lasted for little than an inning. After Gomber walked 2 to load the bases successful the third, Arizona 3rd baseman Josh Rojas connected connected a azygous up the mediate to necktie it astatine 2.
With 2 outs successful the bottommost of the second, the Rockies capitalized aft Diaz legged retired an infield single. Hampson sent a 2-2 cutter 426 feet to near halfway to springiness the Rockies an aboriginal 2-0 lead.
No timeframe: Rockies LF Raimel Tapia hasn’t played since August 8 aft sustaining a close large toed strain. Rockies manager Bud Black said there’s nary timeframe for his return, but Tapia did bash immoderate moving and agility enactment anterior to Friday’s game.
He offered the aforesaid non-update connected Yonathan Daza, who was sporting a wrapper astir his near manus for a caller thumb laceration. Black said Daza can’t grip a bat, and the squad planned to beryllium cautious portion letting the coiled heal.
On Deck
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-7, 5.03 ERA) astatine Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 4.40)
6:10 p.m. Saturday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T Sportsnet
Radio: KOA 630 AM/94.1 FM
Freeland entered August with a 1-6 record. In 3 starts since, he’s notched 3 consecutive wins, including 2 starts wherever helium yielded 2 runs oregon fewer. In yet different illustration of his ascendant August, his 17 strikeouts are conscionable 3 shy of his full for July, which came implicit 30 innings of work. Entering Saturday, Freeland had lone pitched 16 innings successful August. He allowed conscionable 1 earned tally successful a uncommon roadworthy triumph implicit San Francisco past Saturday. In contrast, Gallen hasn’t recorded a triumph since April. His past 3 starts person each resulted successful Arizona losses, with Gallen yielding 5 homers and 12 earned runs successful 16 2/3 innings successful August. He lone lasted 4 innings erstwhile these 2 teams met backmost successful May.
Trending: Entering Friday’s game, the Rockies had won 5 successful a enactment astatine location against Arizona, including a three-game expanse successful mid-May. On the season, they’re conscionable 7-6 vs. the Diamondbacks overall.
At issue: After this series, the Rockies deed the roadworthy for a 10-day roadworthy travel against the Cubs, Dodgers and Rangers. The 2014 Rockies had the worst roadworthy grounds successful franchise past astatine 21-60. This year’s Rockies are 14-45 distant from Coors.
Pitching probables:
Sunday: Diamondbacks RHP Taylor Widener (1-1, 4.59) astatine Rockies RHP Jon Gray (7-9, 3.93), 1:10 p.m. ATTRM
Monday: Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (2-9, 4.58) astatine Cubs LHP Justin Steele (2-2, 3.22 ERA), 6:05 p.m. ATTRM
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