Rockies take down Guardians, 7-4, win series
DENVER — Brendan Rodgers hit a two-run home run during a six-run second inning, Ty Blach overcame a shaky start to give up two runs over seven innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-4 on Wednesday night.
The last-place Rockies have now won three consecutive series and have gone 12-7 after a disastrous 8-28 start to the season.
Eight of the nine players in Colorado’s lineup had a hit, with Ryan McMahon, Elias Diaz, Jacob Stallings, Sean Bouchard and Hunter Goodman each recording an RBI. Those contributions gave Colorado its second-highest run total in an inning this season while chasing Guardians starter Logan Allen (6-3) from the game.
Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley allowed two runs in the ninth inning and had the tying run at the plate with two outs and runners on first and second, but struck out Andres Giminez to help his team hold on.
After giving up three hits, two runs and two walks in the first inning, Blach (2-2) shut out Cleveland over the next six innings, with four strikeouts and no walks in that time. It was his second-consecutive quality start after allowing 11 runs across 13 innings in his first three starts of the season.
The loss snapped a run of four consecutive series victories for the Guardians, who had won 13 of their previous 15 games.
In his first career appearance at Coors Field, Allen allowed seven earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. In his previous three starts, all wins, Allen had allowed just three earned runs across 17 2/3 innings.
Josh Naylor had two hits and an RBI for Cleveland. Jose Ramirez, who leads the majors in RBIs, doubled in the first inning, but his career-best streak of seven consecutive games with an RBI came to an end.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (left elbow soreness) will start Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gomber had been scheduled to start Monday against the Guardians, but was scratched.
UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (3-1, 3.99) will square off at home against Washington and LHP Patrick Corbin (1-5, 6.12) on Friday.