Rockies hold off D-Backs to get back to .500 with fourth straight victory

DENVER – Jeff Hoffman may not have recorded a quality start Wednesday night, but he came darn close and bested the Diamondbacks Robbie Ray through the first five innings to get the Rockies back to .500 for the first time since March 31.

It was hard to predict which team had the upper hand between these division rivals.

Robbie Ray entered the game with a 2.45 ERA over his previous seven starts, but his history against Colorado in their last five meetings (5.93 ERA) suggested the Rockies might be able to get enough runs to support Hoffman.

Making just his third start of the season, the 26-year-old would best his previous outings and strikeout six with only two walks during his five innings of work. For the remaining four frames, the bullpen stepped up without closer Wade Davis to shut the door, still on the injured list with a left oblique strain ten days ago.

On offense, the Rockies did the little things to get runs across the plate throughout the game.

In the first, Raimel Tapia set the table with a leadoff single and Trevor Story followed it up with his own. Nolan Arenado’s deep fly to center field was enough to allow Tapia to tag up and take third base before the speedy Dominican to score on a Mark Reynolds ground out.

Arizona responded in the second and though they sent eight batters to the plate, they scratched out only two runs and left the bases loaded as Hoffman limited the damage following four straight hits by the D-Backs.

In the fourth, Ray lost his command in the big way, walking three straight hitters to begin the inning, including seven straight pitches outside the strike zone. Brendan Rodgers was the beneficiary of those runners in scoring position, lacing a single to right field to score two and swing the lead back the Rockies way, 3-2.

Hoffman, only a few nights after scoring the winning run when he tagged from third base on a sacrifice fly as a pinch runner, extended the inning when he continued to surprise, laying down a two-out bunt single that scored Ian Desmond to extend their lead to two.

Back on the bump, Hoffman gave up a solo home run to Adam Jones in the next half inning after the veteran outfielder had struck out his first two times to the plate.

The bullpen would take it from there. Seunghwan Oh would be first out of the pen. After two ground outs, Carson Kelly would elevate one into left field for his fifth homer of the season, bringing the D-Backs to within a run.

Carlos Estévez and Bryan Shaw each gave up a single in their inning of work, but were able to record a scoreless frame. Scott Oberg walked one, but earned his first save of the season.

With the win, the Rockies are 5-1 during this homestand and are now 24-15 (.615) over their last 39 games.