Rockies rookie Jeff Hoffman was nothing short of dominant in his second start of 2017. The right-hander picked up his second win and lowered his ERA to 3.29 with seven sparkling innings against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Colorado turned a close game in the eighth into an 8-1 blowout win to open the four-game series in Philadelphia.
Hoffman used 99 pitches to throw seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking none and striking out seven. He retired the Phillies in order five times on the night. He surrendered back-to-back hits in the fourth inning to allow a run and worked around a lone double to Aaron Altherr in the seventh. Scott Oberg and Mike Dunn combined to strike out the side in the eighth inning, with Dunn earning two. Jake McGee retired the Phillies in order to close things out.
Charlie Blackmon continued to be the engine behind the Colorado offense, twice driving in runs and scoring. Blackmon ended the night with two hits and three RBIs after some generous scoring for the home side ruled his ninth-inning knock an error. Nolan Arenado drove Blackmon home with a home run, his 12th, as part of a four-run ninth inning. Alexi Amarista had three hits and scored a pair of runs. Carlos Gonzalez had three hits and scored a run, as well. Hoffman earned his first big-league hit, and DJ LeMahieu and Gerardo Parra each had an RBI to round out a balanced offensive effort.
Colorado improved to 29-17 on the season, the best record in the National League. It was the fifth consecutive series in which the Rockies have won the first game in the series. The Phillies are now losers of 10 of their last 12 games. Another rookie toes the rubber for the Rockies on Tuesday. German Marquez (2-2, 4.34) is on the hill for Colorado in game two.
