Rockies overcome bullpen implosion, walk-off on Giants to retake top spot in NL

 

DENVER – On a perfect evening in Lower Downtown Denver, the Colorado Rockies offense played a nearly perfect game, driving the ball all around the gorgeous confines of Coors Field like they were hitting off a tee. They greeted the San Francisco Giants with an explosion of hits, making a statement early in this four-game divisional series. Yes, the Giants are reeling this season, and no, the Rockies aren’t going to let up or feel bad for them. But the bullpen let San Francisco all the way back into the game, surrendering eight runs over the final three innings.

Ultimately, Raimel Tapia delivered a suddenly necessary walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth.

The Colorado offense got started on a strange play, a swinging bunt from Charlie Blackmon that “forced” a rare error from Buster Posey. Blackmon was hustling hard up the line but it appeared Posey had time to collect himself, instead he rolled a grounder past Brand Belt at first, allowing Blackmon to take second base. The Rockies center fielder came in to score on a single up the middle from DJ LeMahieu who also came all the way around to score on a double from Nolan Arenado in the next at-bat. Mark Reynolds followed that up by pulling a single down the third-base line to score Arenado and give the Rockies a 3-0 lead before they had recorded an out.

In fact, Ian Desmond came up with a line-drive single to left right after that. It wasn’t until Trevor Story flew out to the warning track in right that Matt Moore and the Giants finally got an out. Reynolds moved up on the out and Desmond stole second base but Raimel Tapia struck out and San Francisco intentionally walked Tom Murphy in his first at-bat back to get to Hoffman who was easily dispensed of via the strikeout to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

Hoffman lost his command for a minute in the second walking Hunter Pence and giving up a single to Joe Panik after falling behind in the count. Then Austin Slater picked up a swinging bunt single that not even Arenado could turn into an out. Which means no one could. But with two outs and the bases loaded, Hoffman had his counterpart at the plate with an opportunity to make the last out of the inning, just as he had. But the command issues still plagued him, and Moore fought off a tough 3-2 pitch eventually leading to the cardinal sin of walking the opposing pitcher. This was even worse because it brought in a run, making the score 3-1.

Denard Span then strode to the plate and lofted a ball into shallow left field. As it hung in the air, so did the Rockies lead but Story sprinted into a circus, diving catch to save the day. All he was missing was a cape. It looked for sure like the game would be tied, instead, as Story caught his breath the roar of the crowd continued to crescendo in appreciation of one of the best and most timely catches in baseball this season.

Trevor Story! pic.twitter.com/e9yG1wYcV4

— 120 Sports (@120Sports) June 16, 2017

Colorado got right back at it on offense in the second, though. Starting again with their ridiculously talented top of the order, Blackmon drew a walk and LeMahieu hit a liner that fooled Pence in right field, getting over his head but only going for a single since Blackmon had to pause on the basepaths. Both came in on Arenado’s second double in as many at-bats, giving the Rockies third baseman three RBI in two innings.

Arenado came in to score on an opposite field double from Desmond who is making BSN Denver look good on our predictions that he is getting hot at the plate. Desmond scored the fourth run of the frame to make is 7-1, Rockies, on a single up the middle from Raimel Tapia who then had five hits in his last six at-bats.

The Rockies got another one in the third, again from their top-two guys in the lineup on Blackmon’s league-leading ninth triple of the season and LeMahieu’s third hit of the game.

Hoffman, despite fighting his command all game, gutted through five innings. He gave up a lot of traffic, seven hits, and three walks, but also managed to strand all but one of them.

His final line: 5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. He threw 64 of his 102 pitches for strikes.

It was his worst outing at the MLB level so far this season and that speaks volumes of how good he has been. He still earned the quality start.

The Rockies added a ninth run in the sixth. You can probably guess how since it came on LeMahieu’s fourth hit of the game and Arenado’s third double. This was the sixth four-hit game of LeMahieu’s career and second this season. Oddly, it was the first time Arenado has smacked three doubles in his career. The four-RBI night put Arenado put him at an even 50 for the season, tied for eighth place in MLB with Bryce Harper.

The Giants got a pair of runs in the seventh on a 423-foot blast from Posey, trying to make up for two bad defensive errors in the game by plating two runs. Former Rockies Nick Hundley added one in the eighth on a solo home run over the tall fence in right. Posey’s home run came against Scott Oberg, Hundley’s against Mike Dunn. Both pitchers have been prone to giving up the long ball this season, but the latter has buoyed that by striking out over 12 hitters per nine innings.

Dunn was unable to escape the eighth though, giving up a single to Span and walking Belt before being replaced by Chad Qualls who gave up and RBI single to Colorado-native Ty Blach. Qualls got Pence to line out thanks to some good defense by Blackmon before giving way to the bullpen hero from Wednesday’s game, Jake McGee.

McGee, perhaps showing some signs of fatigue from the extra work a day ago, surrendered a three-run home run to Brandon Crawford — who destroys left-handed pitching — to make it a one-run game at 9-8 but was able to get Panik to pop out to finally end the frame.

The middle-relief for the Rockies once again proved to be a trouble spot for the Rockies. One has to wonder if they can merely hold on until Jon Gray and Tyler Anderson return (moving a starter or two into the pen) or if they need to make a roster move before then.

Greg Holland came on in the ninth to attempt to restore some sanity to the proceedings, entering a suddenly tight game, and promptly gave up a leadoff single to Austin Slater. He then struck out Hundley and gave up a single to Span to put runners at first and third with just one out. A wild pitch moved Span to second and took the routine double play out of order, pulling the Rockies defense in. But Gorkys Hernandez hit a sinking liner into center field and Slater slid just around the tag at home plate to tie the game and give Holland his first blown save of 2017. He is now 23-for-24.

It was just that kind of night for pitching at Coors Field.

A bottom of the ninth that probably never should have been played (usually they aren’t when a team stakes themselves to an eight-run lead) began with a Reynolds single to left. The home crowd erupted when Carlos Gonzalez was announced to pinch-hit and he worked a four-pitch walk to bring Tapia to the plate. The Rockies shiniest new toy did what he does best and got a base hit. A simple, innocuous base hit that scored Reynolds and ended the game.

How are the ever going to bench this kid?

The top three members of the Rockies lineup — Blackmon, LeMahieu, and Arenado — went a combined 9-for-13 with two walks, six RBI, and eight runs scored.

Colorado moved to 43-26 and with the Dodgers loss today and no game for the Diamondbacks, have retaken sole possession of first place in the National League.