The Rockies had some momentum in the late innings, but Zach Agnos wasn’t able to hold on
The San Francisco Giants did it again, winning their sixth-straight one-run game. The Colorado Rockies fought back from behind, and even gave themselves some insurance runs in the later innings. Unfortunately, though, things unraveled in the ninth inning and the Rox came up empty.
Stringin’ it along
The Giants got off to a hot start, with Jung Hoo Lee tripling to lead off the game. Willy Adames hit a sacrifice fly to score Lee and the Giants were up quickly on the Rockies. Luckily, the damage was limited and the Rockies were able to answer back in the second inning with a Brenton Doyle double and Ryan Ritter single to tie the game.
The Rockies did a nice job of stringing together throughout the game. After the Doyle/Ritter second inning, Ryan McMahon hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to put the Rockies up 2-1.
Unfortunately, Adames said ‘hold my beer’ and hit a homer of his own in the very next inning. Kyle Farmer put the Rox up again in the fifth, but it ended up being the eighth inning where things came alive.
Sam Hilliard came in to pinch hit and struck out looking, but then Hunter Goodman laced a triple to left field. And, in an unusual move for the Fighting Rockies, he was actually knocked in by Thairo Estrada on a groundout!
4-2 Rockies.
McMahon then walked, but then he was knocked in by Doyle on a triple to make the score 5-2. Mickey Moniak, fresh off the bereavement list, walked but then Ritter struck out to end the threat.
Birdman and the (Middle) Bullpen
Jake Bird continued his dominance tonight. The right-hander came in to relieve Palmquist in the fifth after he allowed a homer and a walk to start off the inning. Bird went on to pitch the next two innings in spectacular fashion, striking out five of the six batters he faced. In fact, he recorded eight-straight K’s dating back to his last outing. Andrew Knizner was retired via a ground out to third. Bird’s 50 strikeouts lead all MLB relievers. Could he be the Rockies’ All-Star this year?
The middle-bullpen as a whole pitched well. Seth Halvorsen relieved Bird in the seventh, striking out two batters, and Tyler Kinley pitched the eighth and struck out a batter.
Zach Ag-nope
Unfortunately, Zach Agnos got a bit roughed up in the ninth, to say the least. Casey Schmitt hit his first homer of the year on the first pitch he saw, making the score 5-3. He then walked Tyler Fitzgerald and Knizner. Lee grounded into a force out at third, which didn’t quite get the double play. A wild pitch then moved up Knizner and Lee, and then Adames was walked to load the bases.
Victor Vodnik came in to relieve poor Agnos and did record the final two outs. Unfortunately, though the Giants scored on a sacrifice fly, a soft grounder and a single to go from 5-2 down entering the ninth to 6-5 up exiting their half.
The Rockies attempted to battle back in the ninth — Sam Hilliard and Hunter Goodman both reached on singles — but unfortunately couldn’t seal the deal.
Up Next
The Rockies take on the Giants again tomorrow. Kyle Freeland (1-8, 5.19 ERA) will take on Robbie Ray (8-1, 2.44 ERA) in a southpaw showdown. First pitch is at 6:40pm. See you then!