Aug 15, 2019

Rockies shake up Diamondbacks with Arenado homer; Cardinals tie Cubs for NL Central lead

Posted Aug 15, 2019 12:44 PM

DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado lingered near the batter's box a little longer than usual as he stared at his liner.


It wasn't to admire. It was simply to make sure.


In a season that's been so foul for Colorado, he wanted to double-check that his deep drive indeed stayed fair before celebrating.


Arenado hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Rockies a 7-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.


A rare bright spot in what's been a trying stretch for a club that's all but assured it won't be making a third straight postseason appearance. The Rockies are 14-33 since June 21, which is one of the worst marks by winning percentage in the majors over the time frame.


"It's been a grind for all of us individually and as a team," said Arenado, who'd left four runners on base before connecting on his 27th homer of the season. "It feels good to come out with a win right there."


After Trevor Story was hit by a pitch to start the ninth, Arenado launched a fastball from Archie Bradley (3-5) over the fence in left — and just fair. It was Arenado's third career walk-off homer and first since June 18, 2017, against San Francisco.


"I hit it good," Arenado said.


Bradley threw it good, too.


Immediately after contact, Bradley began walking toward the dugout. He knew. He had his career-best string of 17 1/3 scoreless innings snapped.


"This is our last time here and I'm not sad about it," Bradley said about Coors Field. "I will be the first person happy to get out of here."


Arenado was doused with Powerade soon after crossing home plate and mobbed by teammates. Colorado ended a string of five straight losses to Arizona.


Arenado's homer came after Ketel Marte delivered a two-out, run-scoring bloop single in the top of the inning to give the Diamondbacks the lead. Marte dropped a slider from closer Scott Oberg (6-1) just over the head of Story, who turned and threw home too late. It was Marte's career high-tying fourth hit of the day.


Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer and Wilmer Flores added a solo shot in the sixth to give Arizona a 5-2 lead. The Rockies tied it up on pinch-hitter Ryan McMahon's three-run homer in the bottom half of the inning off Yoshihisa Hirano.


"That was fun, huh?" McMahon cracked. "I had a good time."


The Diamondbacks' bullpen was pressed into duty earlier than expected when starter Robbie Ray left in the third inning because of spasms in his lower back. Ray made one warmup pitch before the trainer came out to check on him. He said he could've pushed through, but he didn't "want it to turn into something that is a bigger issue."


It was far from a defensive clinic for the Diamondbacks, who committed a season-high four errors. Christian Walker, Nick Ahmed and Marte were charged with errors on fielding plays and Flores on a throw.


"This," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said, "is a tough game to absorb."


AROUND THE MAJORS WEDNESDAY


An eighth-inning homer has pulled the Milwaukee Brewers within 1 ½ games of the NL Central lead. Rookie Trent Grisham belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to turn the Brewers’ 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Ryan Braun reached on a throwing error by shortstop Jorge Polanco and Hernán Pérez singled before Grisham went deep. Matt Albers worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to preserve the victory for the Brewers. Mitch Garver, Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sanó each hit solo homers for the Twins, whose lead in the AL Central remains a half-game over Cleveland.


The Cardinals have pulled even with the Cubs for the NL Central lead after rookie Dakota Hudson tossed six innings of five-hit ball in a 6-0 shutout of the Royals. Kansas City starter Brad Keller had a no-hitter until Marcell Ozuna singled to spark the Redbirds’ five-run seventh. Paul DeJong was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored for St. Louis, which didn’t allow a run in sweeping the two-game series.


The Cubs were blasted in Philadelphia as J.T. Realmuto launched a grand slam and Bryce Harper homered twice in the Phillies’ 11-1 thrashing of Chicago. Cole Hamels was rocked for eight runs and nine hits over two-plus innings in his first start in Philadelphia since being traded by the Phillies to the Rangers four years ago. Aaron Nola is 11-3 after limiting the Cubs to three hits over seven innings, including Kris Bryant’s home run.


The Braves kept their six-game lead over Washington in the NL East by scoring five times in the seventh inning of a 6-4 verdict over the Mets. Ender Inciarte opened the scoring with an RBI double in the second and later singled home a run in Atlanta’s big rally. Steven Matz gave up just two hits over six innings, but New York dropped its third in a row since winning 15 of 16.


Anthony RendoN, Kurt Suzuki and Adam Eaton hit homers in a 10-run fifth that was the difference in the Nationals’ 17-7 dismantling of the Reds. Stephen Strasburg chipped in an RBI single during the big rally and allowed four runs and seven hits over 5 2/3s. Cincinnati starter Trevor Bauer was tagged for a career-high nine runs over 4 1/3 innings in his third appearance since arriving from the Indians at the trade deadline.


Clayton Kershaw was outstanding in the Dodgers’ 9-1 romp over the Marlins, yielding just two hits and matching a season-high with 10 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. Rookie Edwin Rios hit his first two major league homers for the NL West leaders, who have outscored Miami 34-2 in the last three games. Justin Turner went 3-for-5 with a home run, and Corey Seager homered and had three RBIs to help Los Angeles stretch its division lead to 19 ½ games over the Diamondbacks.


The Indians lost to the Red Sox for the second straight day as Rafael Devers followed his 6-for-6 performance with a homer and a single in Boston’s 5-1 victory. Xander Bogaerts homered twice for the Bosox, including a three-run blast that broke the game open in the seventh inning. Devers and Bogaerts opened the scoring in the third with back-to-back home runs off Shane Bieber, who fell to 12-5.


The Yankees earned their 16th straight win over the Orioles as Gary Sanchez unloaded a three-run blast in the first inning to help New York earn a 6-5 victory. Mike Ford’s two-run single in the sixth was the difference as the Yankees finished 17-2 versus the last-place Birds this season. The Yankees hit 61 homers off Baltimore pitching this season and outscored the O’s, 151-83.


The White Sox squandered a late three-run lead before James McCann hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning of a 13-9 win over the Astros. Rookie Eloy Jiménez hit his 20th homer and Tim Anderson doubled twice among four hits for Chicago. José Altuve smacked a two-run homer eighth to tie it 9-9 before Houston lost for the third time in four games since an eight-game winning streak.


Matt Chapman’s second home run of the afternoon was a big ninth-inning blast that helped the Athletics completed a 9-5 win at San Francisco. The A’s blew most of a 7-0 lead before gaining a split of the two-game series. Robbie Grossman also went deep and Matt Olson added a two-run double to back Homer Bailey, who singled twice and worked seven shutout innings.


Elvis Andrus had four hits and two RBIs as the Rangers knocked off the Blue Jays, 7-3 to avoid a three-game sweep. Nomar Mazara and Danny Santana hit solo homers to back Kolby Allard, who allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings for his first win for Texas. Santana chased Blue Jays right-hander Sean Reid-Foley with a two-run double in the fourth.


Edwin Jackson allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in five innings to get the victory in the Tigers’ 3-2 decision over the Mariners. Victor Reyes hit a two-run single in the second inning to put Detroit ahead to stay. Harold Castro had three hits and an RBI as the Tigers moved to 4-6 on their 11-game homestand.


Albert Pujols had two hits and three RBIs as the Angels knocked off the Pirates, 7-4 to end a three-game home losing streak. Pujols’ 3,167th hit moved him past fellow Dominican Republic native Adrian Beltre for the most by a foreign-born player. Luis Rengifo drove in two runs and winning pitcher Dillon Peters was reached for two runs over six innings.


Cal Quantrill limited the Rays to two runs and three hits over 5 1/3 innings to lead the Padres to a 7-2 victory. Quantrill and the San Diego bullpen blanked Tampa Bay after Tommy Pham belted a two-run homer in the first inning. Eric Hosmer homered to help the Padres beat the Rays for the first time in their last 10 meetings since June 2010.


THURSDAY SCHEDULE (MT)


Seattle at Detroit, 11:10 a.m.

L.A. Dodgers at Miami, 1:05 p.m.

Cleveland at N.Y. Yankees, 5:05 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia, 5:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Cincinnati, 5:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at Atlanta, 5:20 p.m.

Minnesota at Texas, 6:05 p.m.

San Francisco at Arizona, 7:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at L.A. Angels, 8:07 p.m.

Houston at Oakland, 8:07 p.m.