Home runs for the road team.
The Rockies came into Sunday’s game set up for a sweep, but they came up short in a game full of the long-ball, losing to the Seattle Mariners 6-4.
Colorado led early 1-0 when Charlie Blackmon blasted a ball out, but Seattle stormed back to steal the 3-1 lead after one inning. Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo shot and Trevor Story hit a two-run homer to push the Rockies back ahead in the fifth, but a three-run bomb by Ryon Healy won the Mariners the game late.
Colorado got off to a hot start Sunday when Blackmon hit that solo shot off Seattle starter Wade LeBlanc. Blackmon’s homer was a change from yesterday, when he struck out a career-high four times in the game.
LeBlanc was brilliant after that home run allowed in the first, sitting down the next ten Rockies batters.
For the Rockies, the day started much rougher for Antonio Senzatela; Seattle loaded the bases, with the help of a hit batter and a walk, and scored three runs in the inning. Ryan Healy’s double sent home two of those runs and the Mariners led 3-1 early.
Fast forward to the fifth inning and Carlos Gonzalez also hit a solo home run, his eighth of the season, to bring Colorado within one run, at 3-2.
The next inning, it was Trevor Story’s turn to hit a home run; with Nolan Arenado on first, Story worked a baseball just over the right field wall for the 4-3 Rockies lead, mid-sixth.
In a game full of home runs, Seattle went yard again in the sixth to regain the lead. Healy, who had the double in the first, smashed a home run into the upper deck in left field with two men on, giving the Mariners a 6-4 lead through six.
That’s when Senzatela’s day came to an end: 6.0 innings pitched, giving up five hits and six runs with two strikeouts and three walks.
Colorado couldn’t muster a single hit in their final nine outs, losing the game in which they led twice.
The Rockies five-game winning streak came to an end, though they’ve still won 8-10. Colorado is now 46-44, 4.0 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
The Rox now return to the Mile High City for an important six-game homestead against the Diamondbacks and then the Mariners before the All-Star Break.
Notes:
Blackmon’s home run was his 128th of his career, and his 17th of the season. He’s now tied with Matt Holliday for ninth-most home runs in Rockies history.
It was the first time in nine games the Rockies starter gave up more than two runs.
Story’s home run was his 17th of the season as well. Story leads all NL short stops in homers and RBI (62).
All told, there were four home runs in the game, accounting for seven of the ten total runs.
