The Colorado Rockies once again rallied against the Boston Red Sox, storming back from seemingly insurmountable odds to send the game into extra innings.
This time, though, they were unable to cap the comeback with a win, falling victim to a walk-off in the 10th.
The Red Sox got to Marquez in the first with a series of well-placed, if not especially well-struck singles, going up 2-0.
The bad inning for Marquez came in the third. He actually struck out Christian Vazquez to start the frame but soon found himself in trouble after an Andrew Benintendi flyball off the wall in left-center field went for a one-out triple. He jogged home on a single to right off the bat of Mookie Betts who was also able to jog all the way around the bases on a long home run to right from J.D. Martinez, his second in as many games.
And just like that, it was 5-0, Boston.
The Rockies answered back, though, getting themselves right back into the game with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Mark Reynolds got it started with a single and was replaced on the bases after a fielder’s choice from Raimel Tapia. Ian Desmond followed by pulling a double down the line in left, putting runners at second and third with one away.
David Dahl was able to come through in a spot that has caused him difficulty this season, getting a sac fly to center to plate the Rockies first run of the game. Ryan McMahon kept the rally going with a walk and Tony Wolters added a second groundball double in the inning, pulling one to right to score Desmond.
Charlie Blackmon was unable to cash in the two remaining baserunners but German Marquez got himself together and kept the game at 5-2 going into the seventh inning.
That’s when the Rockies’ offense struck.
McMahon got it going with a single back up the middle and Wolters came through with his second double of the game, a ground-rule variety down the line in right. Blackmon was plunked to load the bases and that chased Eduardo Rodriguez from the game.
Boston went to reliever Matt Barnes who brought a 1.55 ERA into the game but surrendered a line drive single up the middle to Trevor Story that made it a one-run game. He fell behind Nolan Arenado and nearly gave up a three-run shot just inside the short foul pole in right, but came back to get a big strikeout, leaving him a double play away from escaping the inning with a lead still intact.
But Daniel Murphy, pinch-hitting for Mark Reynolds, worked the count and managed a groundball to the right side with Story in motion. With no chance at the double play, the Red Sox settled for the out at first as Blackmon sprinted home to score the tying run.
Despite his rough start, Marquez was still in the game in the seventh. Michael Chavis greeted him with yet another groundball single and he bounced back to strike out Jackie Bradley Jr. for the first out. Vazquez singled again to end Marquez’ night as Bud Black turned to Mike Dunn.
Dunn did his job in an encounter with Benintendi, getting a swinging strikeout before walking off the mound as Carlos Estevez came on to face Mookie Betts.
Betts tried to ambush a first-pitch fastball but it was well located on the very innermost edge of the zone and he popped it up to Wolters behind the dish for the final out of the inning.
Scott Oberg worked around a pair of one-out walks in the eighth, getting some good fortune on a deep fly to right that Blackmon tracked down on the warning track.
Bryan Shaw came on in the ninth and got two quick outs including a strikeout to start the inning. But he lost the zone against Benintendi and walked him on four pitches. Still, it looked like he had Betts when he got him to work underneath the slider.
But the pop up wandered into no-man’s land in shallow left. Tapia and Story converged on the baseball and soon on each other, colliding as the ball hit the grass. They were fortunate that the ball bounced into the crowd, otherwise the game would have been over.
Colorado also decided, seemingly as a precaution, to take Story out of the game.
Pat Valaika came in to play short and was immediately tasked with handling a tough hop, but he did and fired to second for the third out and Shaw was able to send the game to extras.
But the Rockies couldn’t take advantage with two runners aboard in the top of the 10th and the Red Sox wasted no time in walking it off against Chad Bettis in the bottom half.
Xander Bogaerts hammered the first pitch he saw to right for a double and Chavis was also first-pitch swinging, hitting a ground ball up the middle to win the game.
