Brendan Rodgers launched a two-run, walk-off homer in the 10th inning Wednesday night at Coors Field to lift the Rockies to 13-12 victory over the Marlins.
Rodgers’ homer, off right-hander Cole Sulser, was his third homer of the game and gave the Rockies a split in the doubleheader. They finally won a series after dropping the previous seven.
“I don’t think I have hit three homers ever in a game, not in Little League or travel ball or the minors,” Rodgers said. “This is something I’m going to remember forever.
“We really needed a series win and we came out on top. That was the most important thing.”
Rodgers is the 15th player in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game (it’s happened 19 times), and the first since Ryan McMahon pulled off the hat trick on April 6, 2021 vs. Arizona.
Rodgers also extended his hitting streak to a career-long 19 games, the longest hitting streak by a Rockie since Carlos González recorded a hit in 19 games July 18-Aug. 24, 2016.
“That was awesome,” manager Bud Black said. “That was obviously a big homer for us at the end, and for Brendan. Tonight, offensively, is what he’s capable of doing.”
Despite Rodgers’ heroics — and the fact that Colorado pounded out 17 hits in the nightcap — one thing remains crystal clear.
The Rockies’ starting pitching is in crisis.
Struggling right-hander German Marquez, an all-star a year ago, gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in just five innings in Game 2. Miami launched three home runs off Marquez and he’s served up 11 this season, all of them coming at Coors Field. His ERA has ballooned to 6.71.
“If you deconstruct it, and got pitch by pitch, you can identify less than a handful of pitches that really came back to bite him,” Black said, before adding, “There were some missed locations, he’s got to get the ball down. He’s got to execute pitches.”
In a 14-1 Game 1 loss, right-hander Antonio Senzatela, making his first start since coming off the 15-day injured list where he dealt with a low-back strain, gave up six runs on a career-high 13 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Senzatela owns a 5.40 ERA.
Starting pitching, something Black was counting on to be a team strength this season, has quickly become its weakest link. Since May 8, when the Rockies were 16-12, Colorado starters have a 6.57 ERA and the club’s record is 23-27.
Marquez started out just fine, setting down the first six Marlins batters he faced. Then it all fell apart. Miguel Rojas led off the third with a homer, Jacob Stallings followed with a single and then Willians Astudillo hit a two-run homer.
Miami’s four-run fourth included two walks by Marquez, a throwing error by Marquez on a pickoff throw to first, an error by Rodgers at second base and a two-run homer by Jesus Sanchez.
If the first game had been a prizefight, the Rockies would have been TKO’d early.
Senzatela was defenseless against the Marlins, who treated him like a punching bag, while the Rockies barely laid a glove on rookie right-hander Edward Cabrera.
At least there was a bit of levity amid the Rockies’ latest loss — their 16th in their last 22 games. Outfielder Randal Grichuk, unleashing a mid-70s slider and a couple of mid-60s curveballs, pitched a spotless ninth inning.
Cabrera, making his 2022 debut, threw a no-hitter for five-plus innings before C.J. Cron lined a single to left. Cabrera, effectively wild, walked four and hit two batters, but he also struck out nine.
Jazz Chisolm’s three-run homer in the fourth inning off Senzatela was Miami’s big blow, and the Rockies’ standing eight-count.
Miami pounded out 21 hits in Game 1, the most hits that Colorado has surrendered this season. Jhoulys Chacin was tagged for two runs on three hits and recorded only two outs, while Chad Smith gave up six runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks in his one inning.
The Rockies were held to three hits and struck out 12 times. They finally scored in the ninth on a one-out double by Rodgers and an RBI single by Jose Iglesias.
