The Colorado Rockies lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4 in a rematch of last season’s National League Wild Card game.
The ball was flying Friday night at 20th and Blake as both clubs combined for five home runs on the evening in a game of ping-pong baseball at altitude.
Arizona was able to outslug Colorado throughout the evening, but their scoring started in a more traditional manner in the first inning, when Daniel Descalso knocked in a run on an RBI single to right field to settle into the ballgame.
Rockies’ starting pitcher German Marquez buckled down in the second and tied the game by hitting a home a run in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to left field to score Gerardo Parra who reached base on a throwing error. Marquez has been on point at the plate this season as he currently ranks fifth in hits by a pitcher in the National League.
Despite tying the game, Marquez couldn’t preserve the score in the third inning as he surrendered three crippling home runs, the first being a two-run blast off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt, making the score 3-1. Jake Lamb then followed with a solo shot. Marquez was then able to retire Descalso before coughing up another home run, this time to David Peralta, which made the score 5-1.
Although he managed to pitch a clean fourth inning, the third inning from Marquez was enough to end his day prematurely. Marquez departed with a line of four innings pitched, allowing six hits, and five runs while striking out four batters.
The Rockies were able to claw back into the game in the fifth inning by striking two home runs of their own. Charlie Blackmon hit a solo shot to left field, and Trevor Story later belted a two-run blast to center field to make the score 5-4.
Colorado held the lead once again in the following half-inning as they allowed Zack Greinke to plate a run on an RBI single to center field, upping the score to 6-4.
From there, the Rockies couldn’t muster up anything on the basepaths and went down quietly while watching the Diamondbacks tack on an additional three runs through the final innings.
Friday’s loss was the fifth consecutive defeat suffered at home for the Rockies.
The Rockies and Diamondbacks will continue their series Saturday evening at Coors Field with first pitch set for 5:15 MST.
