The Colorado Rockies didn’t give Antonio Senzatela the lead until after he’d thrown his last pitch of the night, but the rookie still left Coors Field on Tuesday night with his first major league win. Nolan Arenado homered in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Colorado a 3-2 lead and help deliver victory for the 22-year-old right-hander.
Senzatela pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five and walking one. The rookie settled in after allowing a leadoff home run to Manuel Margot, retiring 13 of the next 14 batters he faced. Margot got to him again in the sixth inning with an infield single. He would come around to score on a Wil Myers sacrifice fly. That was all the offense the Rockies would allow, though. Adam Ottavino pitched a perfect eighth inning and Greg Holland navigated a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the year.
All of Colorado’s offense came from the long ball in the win. Carlos Gonzalez hit his first home run of 2017, a solo shot off Jered Weaver in the fourth inning. Charlie Blackmon answered San Diego’s run in the sixth inning with a solo shot of his own off Weaver. Arenado’s, off Miguel Diaz in the seventh, was his third of the year. Senzatela earned a no decision in his first major league start, pitching five scoreless innings in a 2-1 Rockies victory over the Brewers on April 6.
The Rockies and Padres play the rubber match of their three-game series on Wednesday. Rookie Kyle Freeland will make his second start for Colorado. Zach Lee will get the start in place of the injured Luis Perdomo for San Diego. First pitch is 1:10 p.m. MDT at Coors Field.
