Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 2: Elías Díaz walk-off home run makes the difference

After struggling at the plate all night, the Colorado Rockies offense came through when it mattered, launching home runs in the eighth and ninth innings to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 in walk-off fashion.

Kyle Freeland was impressive

Kyle Freeland turned in another outstanding performance against the Diamondbacks. He kept the mistakes low, but was punished for three of them, all in the fifth inning. He left a pitch up, resulting in a Daulton Varsho opposite-field home run and would then walk the 8-hole hitter, Drew Ellis. The walk aloud Zac Gallen to lay down a sacrifice and eventually set Ketel Marte up to take advantage of Freeland’s third mistake, which was not walking Marte, as he hit a single to centerfield to bring Ellis around to score Arizona’s second run.

Aside from that rough fifth inning, Freeland had everything working, finishing with a season-high ten strikeouts on the evening. His wound up allowing two runs runs on six hits and one walk to go along with the 10 strikeouts over the course of his 90 pitches in seven innings. He pitched with his typical passion and did everything he could to keep the Rockies in the game over the course of the night.

Bats couldn’t solve Gallen (with one exception)

In seven innings of work, the Rockies were only able to notch three hits against Zac Gallen. Colorado really only threatened to score against him in the first inning, when two singles and a four-pitch walk brought Ryan McMahon to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. McMahon struck out, ending the threat and, though it wasn’t known at the time, failed to capitalize on the Rockies only real scoring threat of the night.

From the second inning on, Gallen allowed just one hit and one walk. He would finish with no runs allowed on three hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts in his seven innings of work. Only one Colorado hitter was able to figure out what Gallen was doing, just as has been the case throughout their careers. After going 2-for-3 against him tonight, Charlie Blackmon is now 9-for-15 against Gallen in their respective careers. Blackmon roped two singles to right field, though he was thrown out the second time trying to stretch the single into a double.

Hampson big fly

Garrett Hampson came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning down 2-0 with one out and Elías Díaz on first base. Hampson wasted no time and drove a first-pitch breaking ball that was left up in the zone 423 feet to left centerfield for a two-run home run, tying the game at two. The Rockies now have nine pinch-hit home runs on the season, with two of them coming from Hampson.

Elías Díaz walk-off jack!

After a bloop single by Charlie Blackmon and a high chopped infield single by Ryan McMahon, Elías Díaz came to the plate with two outs and two on in the 2-2 tied ballgame. Díaz put together one of the best at-bats possible. He fouled off pitch after pitch before getting one he liked, driving the 10th pitch of the at-bat deep to left field and over the wall for a walk-off three-run home run. It would be a franchise best 12th walk-off for the Rockies, giving them nine straight home wins and improving their home record to 43-21.

Up next

Jon Gray and the Rockies look to secure the sweep against Taylor Widener and the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm MDT at Coors Field as the Rockies look to win their tenth straight home game.