DJ LeMahieu walks off on the Diamondbacks in Rockies most dramatic win of the season

DENVER – They say in the game of baseball that it’s not about how you start, but how you finish.

Well, the Colorado Rockies have been proving that with their 2018 season and did so again on Wednesday with another dramatic come from behind thanks to a walk-off home run from pillar of the franchise, DJ LeMahieu.

In one of the greatest moments of his career, and staring down impending free agency, the mild-mannered second baseman found himself at the plate with the game hanging in the air and having come up empty twice in the last two games with the bases loaded and absolutely unleashed on one, launching it into the bleachers in right field to give his club the win over the Arizona Diamondbacks and make sure they stayed more than a game up in the NL West.

Starter Jon Gray had his second straight frustrating-but-not-necessarily-terrible outing. He once again went four innings but allowed four runs on four hits, walking two and striking out six.

Trouble started in the second (not the first this time) with a leadoff double from Paul Goldschmidt and a walk to Daniel Descalso. Misfortune struck when Steven Souza Jr. hit a groundball in between third and short that Trevor Story fielded and threw to third, but it was high, pulling Nolan Arenado off the bag and everybody was safe.

Nick Ahmed came up with a sac fly to center, making the Rockies pay for the misplay, which hurt even more when Corbin grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Diamondbacks added in the third on a solo home run from Eduardo Escobar.

But Colorado struck back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. They got a surprise double from Gray to lead things off. He was able to advance on a single to right off the bat of DJ LeMahieu and score on a double down the left-field line from Arenado.

With runners now at second and third, Corbin unleashed a wild pitch, allowing LeMahieu to score a second run before Matt Holliday flew out to center, stranding another potential run at third.

Arizona answered with a solo home run from Alex Avila in the top of the fourth.

The Rockies got that one back in the bottom of the fifth when Arenado went down to get a breaking ball that might have burrowed through the Earth if he hadn’t lifted it into the heavens for his 33rd home run of the season.

Gerardo Parra led off the ninth with a single, setting the stage for LeMahieu’s dramatics.

Final Stats:

Jon Gray: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Chris Rusin: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Scott Oberg: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Wade Davis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER

 

Nolan Arenado: 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI

DJ LeMahieu: 2-for-4, 1 R

 

What’s Next:

The final game of the series is set for Thursday afternoon. Clay Buchholtz will face off against the King of Coors Field, Kyle Freeland. First pitch at 1:10 Mountain Time.