The Rockies won 7-6 thanks to a very wild attempt to close the door by Diamondbacks closer Fernando Rodney. If an ace pitcher is defined in part by how they can limit damage, then Tyler Anderson could learn from Zack Greinke. He shouldn’t take any pointers from Fernando Rodney either. The ability to prevent runners from scoring kept the Colorado Rockies behind the Arizona Diamondbacks on the scoreboard for most of the night. The Rockies left nine of sixteen men on base and were hitless in ten at bats with runners in scoring position until Mark Reynolds came up to drive in two runs in the ninth inning. By comparison, five of twelve baserunners were left on by the Diamondbacks.
Over five innings, Anderson allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out two batters. Meanwhile, Greinke allowed four hits and two walks with six strikeouts through his first five innings, the lone Rockies run coming from a Trevor Story home run in the second. Though both pitchers allowed three home runs, the hits off Greinke were all solo shots while Anderson took damage with runners on base. One example came in the top of the fourth when Nolan Arenado led off with a leadoff double, followed by a Carlos Gonzalez walk yet Greinke wriggled out of the inning without allowing a run. Meanwhile, Anderson gave up a double to Yasmany Tomas, which scored Chris Owings and Jake Lamb in the third, then a home run to Jake Lamb in the fifth with Paul Goldschmidt on base. Lamb’s blast was the seventh longest home run in Chase Field’s history. When Anderson left the game after the fifth, the Rockies were down 6-1.
Greinke lost effectiveness after the fifth inning but still held his ground. In the top of the 6th, he gave up a solo home run to Mark Reynolds. Perhaps perturbed, he finished that inning by striking out the side. Called upon to start the seventh, he promptly allowed a home run to Alexa Amarista and a double to Charlie Blackmon before the Arizona bullpen got engaged. After reliever Andrew Chafin gave up two hits and a walk, highlighted by a run-scoring DJ LeMahieu double, ex-Rockies ace Jorge De La Rosa came in from the pen. He stranded LeMahieu on the bases as he racked up three outs but the Rockies closed the gap to 6-4.
The Diamondbacks threatened in the eighth inning as Gonzalez uncharacteristically missed catching a line drive from Tomas, resulting in a three base error with nobody out. However, Carlos Estevez rebounded from a recent string of less than stellar outings to get through the inning unscathed.
The Rockies pulled ahead in the ninth, scoring three runs off of Diamondbacks closer Fernando Rodney. The action started with a base hit from pinch hitter Pat Valaika. Walks to DJ LeMahieu and Gonzalez ensued, suggesting Rodney might not have his best stuff that night. Then, Mark Reynolds was able to get the first hit of the night for the Rockies with runners in scoring position, driving in two runs to tie the game at 6-6. Further wildness then happened as, while facing Gerardo Parra, Rodney uncorked two wild pitches. The first one advanced Gonzalez to third and Reynolds to second. The second wild pitch scored Gonzalez for the go-ahead run. Greg Holland came on in the ninth, allowing just a base hit as he threw a scoreless inning for his 11th save.
The Rockies close out the series tomorrow against the Diamondbacks at 2:10 Mountain Daylight Time. German Marquez will be making his second start of the year against Patrick Corbin.