Geinke & Goldschmidt: Stars star for Snakes

DENVER – In German Marquez‘ first two starts of 2017, he had a very bad followed by a very good outing. On Friday we saw both versions of Marquez as he got touched up in two innings but looked strong in four others. His two rough innings equating in five runs thanks to Paul Goldschmidt was enough support for the Arizona Diamondbacks to beat the Colorado Rockies 6-3.

Zack Greinke backed up Goldschmidt by going seven strong allowing six hits while issuing no walks in a seven-strikeout showing. Greinke plus the D-Backs’ D and Pen allowed just two runs in the series opener.

Goldschmidt’s four RBI and four times on base performance is what dropped the Rockies to an even seven and seven at home, in this game No. 30 on the 2017 season.
Right off the bat, it was the D-Backs’ bats that were sizzling. A.J. Pollock hit a leadoff triple to start the first and was driven in promptly. Goldschmidt socked a 446-foot dinger and Arizona was on top 2-0.

Following two hits, one in each of the first two innings behind worked out of by Greinke, who’s slider was incendiary, the D-Backs got back at in the fourth. Once again it was Pollock that started it. This time a double to left center on a ball that was misplayed by Ian Desmond in his Coors Field debut. David Peralta drew a walk leaving two on for Goldschmidt. The big first baseman hit a screaming liner down the line that just cleared the fence putting the visitors on top by a mark of 5-0.

An inning later the Rockies’ first baseman Mark Reynolds answered with a home run himself, a solo shot cutting into the lead.

Marquez pitched three beautiful innings in a row to hand the Rockies bullpen the bat down four. Scott Oberg struck out two in his inning of work which was his appearance No. 15 for him on the year. Unfortunately for him and the Rockies two wild pitches—one on a dropped third strike—equated to the sixth run for Arizona, of course coming on a Goldschmidt RBI.

The Rockies answered the uno with one themselves. A Gerardo Parra single followed by a Dustin Garneau run scoring double—hit No. 12 on the year for him, the eighth extra base hit—brought it back to four.

The Rockies loaded them up late against the Diamondbacks much like they did on the road last week. And with no out the Rockies would only come away with one run on an RBI groundout.

The Rockies fell to 7-3 in series openers. Denver’s club remains at home as they’re in the midst of a season long 10-game homestand.