The Colorado Rockies defeated the Miami Marlins Sunday afternoon at Coors Field 7-6 to ensure a series sweep.
Ahead are takeaways from the victory.
Rockies rally in the 10th
After Wade Davis imploded on the mound once again, the Rockies were forced to fend off the fish in extra innings.
Colorado failed to push the winning run across in the bottom of the ninth inning, but they managed to put a bow on things in the 10th.
Yonathan Daza and Raimel Tapia each took advantage of fielding blunders from the Marlins to provide Colorado with two base runners to start the inning.
Ryan McMahon followed by hitting a single, loading the bases for Colorado with no outs. Ian Desmond punched out swinging, but Garrett Hampson played hero by hitting a walk-off base hit to left field, solidifying a 7-6 win for the Rockies.
#CucarachasNeverDie!!#RoxWALKOFF πΆββοΈ pic.twitter.com/TRm9VLZhH1
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 18, 2019
Hampson was hitless in his previous nine at-bat’s, but he came through when it mattered most. The single was Hampson’s first walk-off RBI in the majors.
Arenado puts the club on his back
Things were looking grim for the Rockies in the ladder stages of Sunday’s ballgame.
However, superstar Nolan Arenado did his part to solidify a series sweep versus Miami.
After Charlie Blackmon worked a walk in the eighth inning, Arenado came to bat with an opportunity to bring home the tying run.
Arenado took the first pitch of the at-bat before smacking a go-ahead two-run home run over the fence in left field.
The King Cucaracha! π pic.twitter.com/YBf1zqAN6k
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 18, 2019
Sunday’s longball was the second clutch home run Arenado hit during the Rockies homestand. Arenado had previously solidified a walk-off victory Wednesday versus the Arizona Diamondbacks when he hit his third career walk-off home run.
Sunday’s home run was Arenado’s 30th of the season. He joins Vinny Castilla and Todd Helton as the only players in club history with five or more seasons of 30 or more home runs.
Lambert throws well at home
Rockies’ starting pitcher Peter Lambert put forth a solid start versus the Marlins Sunday afternoon.
Lambert has been serviceable for the Rockies since being called-up midway through the season, pitching to a 2-3 record to pair with a 6.75 earned run average.
Coors Field has not been kind to Lambert this season. He entered the afternoon riding a 7.01 ERA at 20th and Blake. One of Lambert’s most prominent issues is his inability to pitch deep into ballgames.
Lambert has only hurled seven innings or more once this season and that happened to be in his first career start against the Chicago Cubs on June 6th.
Lambert was tested early in the ballgame when he allowed a leadoff hit to Isan Diaz, a single to left field. Miami manufactured a run rather quickly after veteran infielder Sterlin Castro smacked an RBI double to center field, establishing an early 1-0 lead for the Marlins.
Marlins’ slugger Harold Ramirez was dialed in against the 22-year-old throughout the game.
After the Rockies tied the game, Ramirez pushed the fish back ahead in the fourth inning where he hit an RBI single off of Lambert. Ramirez then provided Miami with an insurance run in the sixth inning when he hit a double down the left-field line to bring home another run, extending Miami’s lead, 3-1.
Lambert departed after six innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits.
Strikeouts run rampant
Less than 24 hours removed from an 11-run bludgeoning of the Marlins, the Rockies offense failed to follow up their performance Sunday afternoon.
Colorado’s offense was virtually lifeless during the early afternoon. The Rockies managed to muster just two hits in the first five innings of play.
Strikeouts were a common theme throughout the ballgame as Colorado’s batters were sent back to the dugout 15 times.
Strikeouts have been an issue all season long for the Rockies. Colorado entered Sunday’s matinee with the third-most strikeouts in the National League (1123). The Rockies are known to be an aggressive team in the batter’s’ box, but their mindset has also resulted in a low number of walks.
Colorado’s offense has walked just 370 times this season, which is within the bottom half of the sport.