Rookies rocked the Rockies to a rolicking 3-2 win over the Cubs on Wednesday night at Coors Field.
Late-night illiteration aside, it was an impressive win for Colorado. Veteran Michael Lorenzen gave the Rockies a strong start, but it was TJ Rumfield and Sterlin Thompson who stole the show and clinched the three-game series.
Thompson, a native of Longmont (he lived there for six months as an infant), punched a pinch-hit single through the right side of the Cubs’ drawn-in infield to give the Rockies their second walk-off win of the season. Rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg, who debuted on Tuesday, helped douse Thompson with Powerade in the postgame celebration.
“It was a surreal moment,” Thompson said. “It’s awesome that all of the rookies contributed to the moment. Signature moment. It was exciting for the fans and the (organization). It’s something you dream of as a kid and something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
The Rockies were on the verge of a less dramatic win in the eighth when Rumfield launched a two-run homer off reliever Jacob Webb into the right field for a 2-1 lead. It was Rumfield’s eighth homer.
But closer Antonio Senzatela, someone manager Warren Schaeffer touted as a possible All-Star selection before the game, gave up a leadoff homer to Ian Happ in the ninth. Happ blasted Senzatela’s 1-0 cutter 424 feet to left-center, tying the game 2-2. It was just the third homer Senzatela has served up this season.
But it left the Rockies with work to do.
The rally began when Troy Johnston drew a seven-pitch walk from flame-throwing right-hander Daniel Palencia. Pinch hitter Brett Sullivan failed to get down a sacrifice bunt but hit a single to advance Johnston to third and set the stage for Thompson’s game-winning hit. It was the 23rd pinch-hit walk-off in franchise history, and the first since Charlie Blackmon on June 16, 2021, vs. San Diego.
“The Troy (Johnston) at-bat was exceptional, taking a walk off a guy throwing 100 mph like that,” Schaeffer said. “Then ‘Sully,’ after failing to get the bunt down, and then grinding and having grit through that AB, was huge. And to do it off the bench is not easy.”
Schaeffer was thrilled for Rumfield and Thompson.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “Those guys are living the dream, man. It just shows they come ready to play; it doesn’t matter how young they are. It’s very gratifying. I’m so happy for those guys.”
Before the late-game drama, Lorenzen was the story.
Schaeffer has been insisting that Lorenzen had the tools and the smarts to turn around his season. For one night, at least, Schaeffer was right.
Lorenzen pitched three perfect innings before Pete Crow Armstrong led off the fourth with a triple off the centerfield wall. Armstrong scored on Moises’ Ballersteros’ RBI groundout to first. That was the only run Lorenzen allowed. He limited Chicago to two hits, walked two, and struck out a season-high seven.
“I have felt good a while now, but the results just weren’t there,” said Lorenzen, who threw from the windup for the first time in six starts. “You are walking that fine line between making adjustments but not making too many adjustments. But tonight, the pitch execution was good, and the rhythm was good. I thought ‘Goody’ (catcher Hunter Goodman) called a really good game.”
Lorenzen didn’t throw his sweeper as much, choosing instead to go with more four-seam fastballs and an effective slider.
The right-hander entered the night in a bad place. His 8.01 ERA was the highest among major league pitchers with at least 10 starts this season. His 8.15 ERA as a starter was the fourth-highest in franchise history through a player’s first 13 starts with the club. Worse, opponents were hitting .364 against him, the highest average in the majors.
Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched even better than Lorenezen, blanking Colorado for five innings, allowing two hits, walking two, and fanning seven. Rumfield lined a two-out single to left in the first, and Hunter Goodman sliced a leadoff single to right in the fourth.
The Rockies will attempt to sweep the Cubs on Thursday afternoon.
Pitching probables
Thursday: Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (3-3, 4.99 ERA) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.22), 1:10 p.m.
Friday: Rockies TBA at Athletics TBA, 8:05 p.m.
Saturday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-6, 7.81) at A’s LHP Gage Jump (2-1, 2.45), 8:05 p.m.
Sunday: Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (6-4, 4.08) at A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.68), 1:05 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
