The Colorado Rockies knocked off the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night thanks to the team’s offensive explosion in the eighth.
The Colorado Rockies called upon the arm of the veteran Jorge De La Rosa to start the game. De La Rosa was hot and cold throughout the night, heaving his way through just five inning of work allowing five runs; however, with all five being unearned.
Everybody chipped in as Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, Nick Hundley, Mark Reynolds, Stephen Cardullo, Cristian Adames, David Dahl, and newbies Tom Murphy and Raimel Tapia all registered hits in this one.
Jordan Lyles followed De La from the bullpen. Lyles was efficient, but surrendered a two run bomb to A.J. Pollock.
The deciding moment in the game came with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning with Arenado at the plate.
The Rockies had runners on first and third with the game notched at seven.
Arenado found a pitch he could handle and drove it to left field, scoring a run and putting the Rockies ahead for good.
Nolan was just doing what he always does, saying: “I prayed before that (at-bat), and said Lord give me the strength. I feel like in those situations I pop those balls up, it was nice to stay on top of the ball and hit a nice, low line-drive.”
After the game manager Walt Weiss had nothing but good things to say about his thirdrd basemen.
“Nolan had the big (hit) – puts us ahead.” Weiss said. “Nolan has been clutch all year.”
To top it all off, catcher Nick Hundley came up to the plate with the bases juiced, his first grand slam in his nine-year career.
However, that was not enough. Daniel Descalso, in his first game back from the Paternity List, followed Hundley with a solo shot of his own, putting the Rox ahead 14-7 with his first home run since becoming a new dad.
Weiss called upon the arm of Adam Ottavino to close this one out, which he did.
The save was a big one for Otto, who blew a late-game lead in his previous outing Wednesday night.
The clubhouse was full of energy after the win; it’s safe to say the Rox are getting their mojo back.