After batters were plunked, punches were thrown, players were tossed and the dust finally cleared, the Rockies emerged with a much-needed 6-4 victory over San Diego Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field.
Now the Rockies, 6-7, head to Washington for a four-game series beginning Thursday against the powerful Nationals.
A third-inning brawl resulted in the ejections of star third baseman Nolan Arenado, left fielder Gerardo Parra and starting pitcher German Marquez, but Colorado managed to squeeze out the victory to avoid a three-game sweep. The Padres have not swept a series in Denver since 2011.
Colorado, seemingly sparked by the fracas, scored five runs in the third. The big hits were an RBI single by Carlos Gonzalez and a two-run, bases-loaded single by catcher Tony Wolters, who emerged from a deep, early-season slump.
The Padres roared back for three runs in the sixth off of right-hander Antonio Senzatela, who had replaced Marquez. Franchy Cordero led off the inning with a solo homer to center.
Colorado hiked its lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the frame on Ian Desmond’s sacrifice fly to score DJ LeMahieu, who led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Senzatela. LeMahieu, hitting leadoff in place of the injured Charlie Blackmon (right quadriceps strain), went 3-for-5, hiking his average to .308.
A solo homer in the eighth by San Diego’s Eric Hosmer, who plastered a center-cut fastball from left-hander Jake McGee, cut the lead to 6-4. Closer Wade Davis pitched a perfect ninth, with two strikeouts, to record his fifth overall save, his first at Coors Field.
Looking ahead
Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (1-0, 2.53 ERA) at Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (1-0, 1.59), 5:05 p.m. Thursday; ATTRM, 850 AM
The Rockies begin a four-game series against the pitching-rich Nationals with Bettis on the mound. He doesn’t have the overpowering stuff of teammates Jon Gray or German Marquez, but he’s been Colorado’s most consistent starter in the early going and the club has won both of his starts. Bettis is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in two starts at Nationals Ballpark, and 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in four appearances vs. Washington. Gonzalez pitched 5 ⅓ innings in a no-decision Saturday against the Mets, allowing one run on six hits and three walks while striking out six.It was his second consecutive start in which he allowed just a single run. The 32-year-old lefty recorded a 2.96 ERA in 201 innings last year. — Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Friday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-2, 5.56) at Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (1-0, 4.50), 5:05 p.m., ATTRM
Saturday: Rockies RHP Jon Gray (1-2, 5.63) at Nationals RHP Max Scherzer (2-1, 0.90), 11:05 a.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (0-0, 5.65) at Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 2.21), 11:35 a.m., ATTRM
