Colorado 6, Philadelphia 5
When: 8:40 PM ET, Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Temperature:
46°
Umpires:
Home -
Hunter Wendelstedt, 1B -
Bob Davidson, 2B -
Ryan Blakney, 3B -
Jerry Layne
Attendance:
21249
By The Sports Xchange
DENVER -- Nothing has come easy for the Colorado Rockies during this trying season.
It was fitting that Nick Hundley's home run in the eighth inning that gave the Rockies a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies came after Colorado blew two leads on Tuesday.
They squandered a three-run advantage early and a two-run margin late but managed to win for just the third time in 17 games.
"It's been a rough go," said Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, whose two-run double with two out in the seventh gave the Rockies a short-lived 5-3 lead. "But that's why you try and enjoy this win as long as you can and hopefully this turns into something good."
The Rockies scored all their runs with two outs, starting with three in the first. First baseman Wilin Rosario tripled home the first two, and catcher Hundley followed with a run-scoring single. He connected on a 1-2 slider from Justin De Fratus (0-1) for his third homer of the season.
"It went to the one spot it could not go," De Fratus said. "Right to his bat path, and that's not where I wanted to go. It's a pitch I wanted to get in the dirt and a pitch I've thrown in the dirt hundreds of times, and it did not go there. It's the one spot it could not be -- right into his bat path and right into his bat speed."
Colorado closer John Axford retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his fifth save and halt the Phillies' six-game winning streak.
After the go-ahead double by Tulowitzki, who had one RBI this month and just two hits in his past 15 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, Boone Logan quickly blew a save. He gave up two singles to open the eighth, the second a bloop to short center by pinch hitter Jeff Francoeur. Logan struck out first baseman Ryan Howard but threw a wild pitch on strike three, moving two runners into scoring position.
Third baseman Maikel Franco, who had a career-high three hits, drove them in, tying the game at 5 by lining a first-pitch single to center. Logan walked second baseman Chase Utley and hit center fielder Odubel Herrera with a pitch to load the bases. The Rockies challenged, but the hit-by-pitch ruling was upheld.
Rookie Scott Oberg (2-1) relieved Logan. He began his 15th career appearance with a first-pitch slider to catcher Carlos Ruiz, followed by a sinker that Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play.
"His (6.00) ERA hasn't been great so far," Hundley said. "But, man, that guy's a warrior. He's way, way more mature than his time in the big leagues or his age (25). He's got an unbelievable look in his eye when he's in the game to go along with just a tremendous four-pitch mix. The sky's the limit for Scott Oberg."
Chad Bettis, who was recalled when Tyler Matzek was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque earlier in the month, made his second start for Colorado and was much more efficient in this outing after concentrating between outings on staying back on the rubber and not rushing toward the plate.
In an 89-pitch outing, Bettis gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts. Bettis retired the final seven batters he faced and made it a season-high four straight games that the Rockies starter has worked at least six innings.
"I felt like he got stronger as the game went on," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He really started to settle in from the fourth inning on. That was a nice performance by him, putting us in a position to win a game."
Phillies starter Aaron Harang also worked six innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven. It was the eighth quality start of the season for Harang, who has thrown a quality start in 12 of his past 13 games since Sept. 10, 2014.
NOTES: By striking out 10 times, the Rockies extended their franchise record to seven consecutive games with double-digit whiffs. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the second-longest streak since 1900. The Padres had eight consecutive double-digit strikeout games in 2011... Harang's double in the fourth was his first since Sept. 26, 2012, at San Diego while pitching for the Dodgers. ... Rockies LF Corey Dickerson (plantar fasciitis, left heel) was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and 1B/OF Ben Paulsen was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque and pinch-hit a double in the eighth. ... Rockies RHP Brooks Brown (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team after his second rehab outing Tuesday for Albuquerque and might be activated Wednesday. ... A weather delay caused the start of the game to be delayed 17 minutes.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Philadelphia |
|
Colorado |
Aaron Harang
|
Player |
Chad Bettis
|
No Decision |
W/L |
No Decision |
6.0 |
IP |
6.0 |
7 |
Strikeouts |
5 |
3 |
Hits |
8 |
0.00 |
ERA |
4.50 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Philadelphia
|
11 |
0 |
16 |
.314 |
14 |
6 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Colorado
|
7 |
1 |
14 |
.226 |
8 |
10 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
1 |