Colorado Rockies game no. 135 thread: Yusei Kikuchi vs Ty Blach

The Colorado Rockies welcomed the Toronto Blue Jays to town for the first time since 2019, and it was a Coors Field Classic. In the bottom of the third inning, Elehuris Montero hit his sixth home run of the season to score Nolan Jones and give the Rox a 2-0 lead. The Jays chipped away in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 4-2 lead before Jones hit his 14th homer in the sixth to score Ryan McMahon and Elias Díaz and take the Rockies up 5-4.

The seventh inning was a problem for the Rockies’ bullpen, as Jake Bird came in to replace Gavin Hollowell. Bird allowed back-to-back singles and a game-tying double before recording his first out. He then walked Brandon Belt and gave up back-to-back doubles to score four more runs and make it 9-5. Whit Merrifield was caught trying to steal third base for the second out, then Daulton Varsho singled before Ernie Clement finally ended the inning with a fly out to third in foul territory.

The Rockies did mount a ninth-inning comeback, scoring four more runs. Jones tripled and was scored by Montero again. Brenton Doyle doubled and freshly-recalled Sean Bouchard grounded out to score Montero. Díaz singled and scored Doyle, and McMahon doubled to score Díaz. But then Brendan Rodgers struck out swinging to end the game 13-9. The Blue Jays scored in every single inning except the first three.

Ty Blach (1-1, 3.94 ERA) will take the ball for the Rox this evening. In his last outing in Baltimore, Blach pitched a season-high seven innings and allowed just one run (a solo homer) on three hits. He walked just one and struck out a season-high seven batters (also tied his career high). Today marks Blach’s first appearance against the Toronto Blue Jays.

He will be pitching against Jays’ left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (9-4, 3.63 ERA). Kikuchi is making his 27th start of the season. In his last outing against the Cleveland Guardians, he pitched six innings and allowed four runs on six hits. He also walked two and struck out eight (for the sixth time this season). Kikuchi pitched against the Rockies once before as a member of the Seattle Mariners, but has not pitched at Coors Field yet. Today will be a true test for him.

First Pitch: 6:10 p.m. MDT

TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain; MLB.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups: