BALTIMORE — The Rockies’ kids were more than all right on a steamy Sunday afternoon.
With five rookies in the starting lineup, including first baseman Hunter Goodman who sparkled in his major league debut, the Rockies beat the Orioles, 4-3, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The victory snapped Colorado’s six-game losing streak, and a 10-game road losing skid as well.
Lefty starter Ty Blach did the heavy lifting, pitching seven innings of three-hit ball. He gave up just one run on a solo homer to Cedric Mullins in the fifth, struck out seven and walked one.
“I felt great today and I was able to really command my fastball and kind of save the changeup for later, which was really big for me (against) the top part of their order,” said Blach, who whittled his ERA to 3.94.
Now, about those kids.
Rookie right fielder Michael Toglia hit a one-out, solo homer off right-hander Jack Flaherty in the fifth to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, Baltimore intentionally walked rookie left fielder Nolan Jones and pitched to Goodman, who drilled a single to center off Flaherty to drive in Ryan McMahon and boost Colorado’s lead to 3-1. McMahon had reached on a double.
Goodman also scored the go-ahead run in the ninth. He led off with an infield single and took second on shortstop Jorge Mateo’s wild throw to first. Goodman raced to third on Toglia’s grounder to second and scored on pinch-hitter Elias Diaz’s high chopper to third.
“All around, it was a good day and I had a lot of fun,” said Goodman, who busted down the door to the majors with a powerful performance at Double-A and Triple-A. “Being able to contribute to a win in my first major league game was huge.”
Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar played a role, too. In the fourth, he singled, stole second and scored on Brendan Rodgers’ single.
Lately, and painfully, Colorado’s bullpen has been afflicted by Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”
The Rockies entered Sunday’s game as the first team of the modern era to hold a lead in the sixth inning or later in six consecutive games and lose all six.
It looked like that ignominious streak might continue. Colorado led 3-1 in the eighth when right-hander Jake Bird came in and issued a one-out walk to Mullins and then served up a game-tying, two-run homer to pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn.
But closer Justin Lawrence came in to get the final out in the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth to get the victory. For good measure, Goodman made a diving catch on James McCann’s scorching liner down the first base line to close out the game.
“I told Hunter this morning, ‘There is no day like your first day. You’ll remember this one,’ ” manager Bud Black said. “To get your first hit, to score the go-ahead run, and to make a diving play on a bullet to end the game, there’s a lot in there.”
Blach’s seven strikeouts tied a career-high and he pitched a full seven innings for the first time since May 5, 2018, at Atlanta, while pitching for the Giants.
McMahon rescued Blach with a brilliant double play in the fourth inning. With no outs and the bases loaded, Austin Hays hit a hot grounder to McMahon at third, who stepped on the bag for the force out and then fired the ball home to catcher Austin Wynns, who tagged out Adley Rutschman. Blach induced Gunnar Henderson to pop out to center field to close out the inning.
Although the Rockies lost five of six games of their road trip through Tampa and Baltimore, Black believes playing his rookies against playoff contenders is going to bear fruit down the road.
“For those young guys to experience that with the electricity in this ballpark, it was good for those guys to see that and understand how that can happen,” Black said. “They can see the type of season the Orioles are having and they will remember this and be better for it.”
Roster moves. To make room for Goodman, 23, on the roster, the Rockies released veteran left fielder Jurickson Profar before Sunday’s game. The switch-hitting Profar, 30, signed a one-year, $7.75 million with Colorado during spring training but never became a big offensive force. He slashed 236/.316/.364 with eight home runs.
Releasing Profar gives him a chance to sign quickly with another team if the opportunity comes along. If Profar signs by Thursday, he will be eligible for the postseason.
Also, right-handed reliever Matt Carasiti (tight shoulder) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. And lefty reliever Justin Bruihl cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.
Monday’s pitching matchup
Braves RHP Bryce Elder (10-4, 3.39 ERA) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (9-9, 5.48)
6:40 p.m. Monday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Despite a hiccup vs. Arizona on Aug. 16, Gomber has been rolling. Since June 25, the lefty is 5-2 over 11 starts with a 3.50 ERA, 36 strikeouts and just 13 walks. During that run, he’s given up an average of just 0.84 home runs per nine innings vs. a 2.38 home run rate through his first 15 starts. Gomber is 1-1 with a 7.94 ERA in five career games (two starts) vs. Atlanta. Elder notched a victory Tuesday in Atlanta’s 3-2 win over the Mets. Over 5 1/3 innings, he allowed just one run on two hits. He fanned three and walked three. Elder is not a big strikeouts pitcher and he hasn’t fanned more than five batters in a start since June 22. Since the All-Star break, he’s posted a 4.58 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP. Elder has faced the Rockies just once, picking up a win with a strong six-inning performance: one run on four hits, four strikeouts and no walks.
Pitching probables
- Tuesday: Braves RHP Charlie Morton (13-10, 3.37) at Rockies RHP Peter Lambert (3-4, 4.92), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
- Wednesday: Braves TBA at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (5-13, 5.00), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
- Thursday: Off day
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
