That¶¶Ňőap what happens when a team carries a seven-run lead into the eighth inning, blows it and trails by a run entering the bottom of the ninth before winning in extras.

Royce Lewis delivered the game-winning hit, a single up the middle against Rockies reliever Jimmy Herget to complete a 9-8 victory at Target Field. It was his first career walk-off hit.

The Twins cruised to a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning and starting pitcher Taj Bradley pitched seven strong innings against the Rockies, the team with the worst record in baseball.

Not even that was safe for the Twins bullpen, which entered Friday with the worst bullpen ERA in the majors (5.30).

It was a slow and steady collapse. Bradley left two runners on base in the eighth inning, a broken-bat double and a walk, when he exited to an ovation from the announced crowd of 27,317.

Kody Funderburk surrendered three hits in the eighth inning, allowing both of Bradley’s runners to score and one of his own.

With a four-run lead in the ninth, Eric Orze issued a leadoff walk before former Twins infielder Edouard Julien hit an RBI double that bounced past diving left fielder Austin Martin, who had just entered as a defensive replacement.

Jake McCarthy followed Julien’s hit with a two-run homer.

That brought Anthony Banda to the mound. He gave up a double to Mickey Moniak and a no-doubt homer to Hunter Goodman that electrified the Rockies dugout and drew loud boos from the home crowd.

Eleven months after the Twins traded their five best relievers, including North St. Paul native Louis Varland, who is a lock to make his first All-Star team, the bullpen has sunk into depths unknown.

The Twins tied the game in the bottom of the ninth after Martin hit a one-out single, advanced to second on a single from Ryan Kreidler and then scored when Rockies third baseman Willi Castro misplayed a one-hopper from Byron Buxton.

Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano yielded eight hits and seven runs in five innings, matching the most earned runs he’s allowed in his two-year major league career.

Three batters into the bottom of the first inning, the Twins had a 2-0 lead. Kody Clemens smacked his 12th homer of the season on Sugano’s fifth pitch of the evening.

Lewis opened the second inning with a single to left field, and Brooks Lee made it back-to-back innings with a two-run homer when his fly ball to right field landed a few feet from the right field foul pole.

Sugano retired 10 straight batters before the Twins scored three runs with two outs in the fifth inning. Trevor Larnach started the rally with a double to right field and Buxton, who was 1 for 27 when batting with two outs and a runner in scoring position this year, followed with an RBI double to left field.

After Clemens drew a nine-pitch walk, drawing cheers from teammates in the dugout, Josh Bell lined a 94-mph sinker that didn’t sink for a two-run double past diving center fielder Cole Carrigg for a 7-0 lead.

Bradley, who notched his 500th career strikeout, matched his longest start of the season. After giving up a walk and a single in the second inning, he retired 17 of his next 19 batters as he overpowered hitters with a fastball-heavy mix.

In the eighth inning of the Rockies’ stirring, 8-6 comeback win over the Red Sox on Wednesday, rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg looped a hit to right-center, turned on the jets as he rounded first, lost his batting helmet, lost his shin guard, and tore his pants sliding into second with an RBI double.

He got the Coors Field crowd of 27,399 on its feet and buzzing.

“You know that about Cole coming in, that he’s not scared of anything,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “It’s all about the mentality to compete, and he’s got it.”

But not just Carrigg. The Rockies used a cast of heroes to come back from a 6-3 deficit and score three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to win the game and capture the three-game series.

Colorado won its eighth series of the season. During last year’s 119-loss fiasco, the Rockies won just two series before the All-Star Game and eight series the entire season.

Carrigg, who extended his on-base streak to nine games, drove in three runs. Across the first 14 games of his career, he’s slashing .271/.379/.542 with a .921 OPS, three home runs, two doubles, and 11 RBIs.

The confident Carrigg has been undaunted by big-league pressure.

“I think it goes, ultimately, to just competing,” he said. “I’ve played baseball to compete my whole life, and I believe what it takes to play here and play well here.”

Colorado’s comeback began in the seventh when catcher Hunter Goodman reached on a two-out error by shortstop Andruw Monasterio. Enter Carrigg, who blooped an RBI single to left, followed by Jake McCarthy’s single through the right side of the infield.

Left-handed hitting Troy Johnson tied the game, 6-6, with a pinch-hit single against lefty reliever Danny Coulombe.

“With Troy coming off the bench like that, left on left, and coming through, was huge,” Schaeffer said.

Colorado used more team baseball in the ninth to win the game. Mickey Moniak led off with a pinch-hit single, followed by another single by Willi Castro. Tyler’s safety-squeeze bunt pushed across Moniak for the go-ahead run, and Carrigg’s double finished off the comeback.

“I think any manager wants that,” Schaeffer said when asked about the team baseball.  “Our boys just never quit. We know that when the seventh inning rolls around, and we are down, something is bound to happen — with us. We just feel it every (game) and we showed it the whole homestand.”

The Rockies went 4-2 on the homestand against the Pirates and the Red Sox, winning three games by one run.

“The guys, especially the young guys, are learning that we play 27 outs for a reason and you can’t take any out for granted,” veteran starter Kyle Freeland said after he endured a tough day at the ballpark. “When you get in a situation with runners on, late in the game, you want to be that guy, standing in the box and getting the big hit. Guys are learning that, and they want to be part of those big spots.”

Freeland, however, continues to ride a teeter-totter. And the Rockies’ starting pitching continues to be the club’s Achilles’ heel. Colorado has a 5.92 starter’s ERA.

In his last outing, Freeland pitched a gem, going 7 1/3 innings and giving up two runs on four hits.

But the BoSox battered him for six runs on 11 hits in six innings on Wednesday. Connor Wong hit a two-run homer to left in the second inning, and Andruw Monasterio hit a one-out solo shot in the fourth. Freeland, who’s in the final year of his contract, has a 7.50 ERA, the highest in the majors (minimum 50 innings pitched).

But Schaeffer commended Freeland for keeping Colorado in the game.

“Honestly, that’s the name of the game here at Coors — to hang with it, and stick with it when things don’t go your way,” Schaeffer said. ” ‘Free’ competed today, I thought. They hit a lot of balls hard, and he attacked the strike zone.

“He had some things that didn’t go his way, for sure, but at the end of the day, he gave us six innings, and we were still in the ballgame. You can pretty much count on ‘Free’ to do that every time out.”

Pitching probables

Thursday: Off day
Friday: Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (8-4, 4.31) at Twins TBA, 6:10 p.m.
Saturday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-9, 7.11) at Twins TBA, 5:10 p.m.
Sunday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-2, 4.79) at Twins TBA, 12:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

And, oh yes, a 2-1 Rockies victory that clinched the series win over the Pirates. It was Colorado’s seventh series win of the season, and they have won four of their last seven series.

Now, about that funky ending. With the bases loaded and two outs and Rockies right-hander Jaden Hill on the mound, the Pirates’ Jake Mangum hit a grounder to Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros, who never got a throw off. But Karros immediately protested that Billy Cook, running from second to third, had interfered with Karros’ attempt to field the ball. Karros said that Cook’s cleat hit his glove.

The umpires huddled and called Cook out, ending the ballgame. The Pirates protested, but after the game, manager Don Kelly conceded that the call was correct.

“It was just a slow roller, and I was going to get the ball, and his cleat kind of clipped my glove,” Karros explained. “I still fielded the ball, but it was rattling around my glove, and I couldn’t really get a throw off. I knew the rule going into the play: if there is any contact, the runner is out.”

There were plenty of Pirates fans in the crowd who showed up to watch Pirates ace Paul Skenes do his thing. And he did. But so did the Rockies’ Tomoyuki Sugano, who actually outpitched Skenes.

Rockies leadoff hitter Jake McCarthy provided the night’s pyrotechnics. He hammered Skene’s fourth pitch of the game — a 95 mph fastball — into the gap in right-center. Center fielder Jake Mangum dove for the ball, and when he missed, McCarthy motored around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

“(Mangum) almost made a really good play, but I’m always trying to take extra 90s when I can get them,” McCarthy said. “I’ve never had an insider-the-parker before. It’s usually a triple and an error, so that was cool.”

McCarthy’s inside-the-park homer was the first one for the Rockies since Ian Desmond did it on June 14, 2019, vs. San Diego. It was the second leadoff inside-the-park home run in franchise history. Eric Young Jr. also did it on Aug. 8, 2012, at Dodger Stadium.

The methodical Sugano doesn’t have Skene’s firepower, but the veteran right-hander knows how to pitch. Working like a craftsman, he kept the Pirates off-balance for six innings. His slider was particularly effective. Sugano allowed one run on four hits, struck out a season-high five, and didn’t walk a batter. He made his team-leading fourth quality start of the season.

Sugano was aware that the Rockies were facing one of baseball’s elite pitchers, but he concentrated on his game.

“It’s not that I don’t think about (competing against Skenes) at all,” Sugano said through interpreter Yuto Sakura. “But it’s not me facing Paul Skenes, in particular. I just thought, minimize the damage. I just knew that we can’t really score that much. He’s a good pitcher, so I wanted to minimize the damage.”

Skenes, last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner, gave up two runs on four hits over six innings. The right-hander struck out eight, but also walked two and plunked two.

“We didn’t get a lot of big hits against him, but I thought we made him work,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.

The game began poorly for Sugano. Pirates leadoff hitter Spencer Horowitz planted Sugano’s fourth pitch of the game — a 2-1, 93.7 mph fastball — into the second deck in right field. Next up, Brandon Lowe laced a single to right.

But from that point on, Sugano allowed only two hits and retired the final 12 batters he faced.

The Rockies took a 2-1 lead in the third, again utilizing McCarthy’s speed. He dumped a ball into shallow center field and turned it into a hustle double. McCarthy scored on TJ Rumfield’s opposite-field single to left.

“Jake does that all of the time; that’s how he plays baseball,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “It’s every day. That’s why he’s such a great player. That’s what he brings to the table every single night.

“It really plays up here at Coors Field with the expansive outfield. He uses it to his advantage, and he’s always hard out of the box. He set the tone tonight, no doubt about it.”

Pitching probables

Sunday: Pirates RHP Jared Jones (1-1, 6.23 ERA) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.13), 1:10 p.m.
Monday: Red Sox LHP Jake Bennett (1-3, 4.79) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-2, 5.05), 6:40 p.m.
Tuesday: Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.12) at Rockies LHP Sean Sullivan (0-1, 10.29), 1:40 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Fulford hit a two-run, two-out, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning off Mason Montgomery to lead the Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Coors Field in front of a Friday night crowd of 33,596.

Fulford drove in Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg, who scratched out back-to-back two-out singles off Montgomery.

“I had been warming up in the cage for that at-bat for a couple of innings, so I felt pretty prepared,” Fulford said. “I got an advantage count (3-1) and I knew he was going to come with the heater and I was all over it.”

Fulford caught Montgomery for three seasons at Texas Tech, so he knew the left-hander’s tendencies.

“It’s kind of unfortunate for pitchers that you catch, because you kind of get to see their stuff,” Fulford said. “You kind of understand more of who they are. So I do feel like I had the advantage there.”

In the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases against Senzatela with no outs on a single by Marcell Ozuna and an error on a groundball by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. But Senzatela struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Callihan and induced Jared Triolo to ground to Tovar, who started the game-ending double play.

“It was kind of a crazy ending to the game — bases loaded and no outs,” Freeland said. ” ‘Senza’ got a big punchout in that situation, picks up Tovar. Then Tovar gets another opportunity to turn a double play, and he gets it done.”

Before all of the late-game drama, Freeland pitched his best game of the season: 7 1/3 innings, two runs allowed on four hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. It marked the fourth time in his career that he pitched 7 1/3 or more innings.

“Tonight, I thought he was absolutely exceptional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I thought his body language was impressive. He attacked the strike zone — relentlessly. His heater had good ‘vert’ tonight. The breaker was good. It seemed like he was in control all night.”

“Gritty” is the word often used to describe Freeland. Dominant was a more apt description on Friday night. History-making works, too. Freeland’s eight Ks gave him 1,001 for his career, joining right-hander German Marquez (1,069) as the only two pitchers in franchise history to eclipse 1,000. Freeland struck out Marcell Ozuna in the seventh for No. 1,000, and then promptly fanned Brandon Lowe for 1,001.

The hard-core Rockies fans behind the dugout gave Freeland a standing ovation.

“I’m very grateful for the fans always supporting me, and for making it this long in my career to reach some of these milestones, especially with one ballclub,”  said Freeland, who struck out eight and walked none for the second time in his career. “I definitely hear those fans when I pop out of the dugout after every inning.”

The 33-year-old Denver native blanked the Pirates for the first seven innings, giving up just two hits. Pittsburgh finally got to Freeland in the eighth, putting up back-to-back doubles by Esmerlyn Valdez and Triolo to cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1. Up to that point, it looked as if Freeland had the juice to throw a complete game, especially since he threw just 81 pitches.

Freeland was pulled in the eighth for right-hander Jaden Hill, who gave up an RBI single up the middle to pinch-hitter Bryan Reynolds, tying the game, 2-2. Then Hill hit leadoff hitter Spencer Horowitz, and Nick Gonzalez scorched a triple off the right-field wall, scoring Horowitz and giving the Pirates a 3-2 lead.

Colorado staked a 1-0 lead in the third against hard-throwing right-hander Bubba Chandler. Willi Castro’s single scored Ezequiel Tovar, who reached on a bunt single.

The Rockies extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth on rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield’s leadoff homer. He sent Chandler’s first-pitch slider 427 feet into the right-field seats. It was Rumfield’s 11th homer and his 38th RBI.

Pitching probables

Saturday: Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (6-6, 2.85 ERA) at Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4, 4.54), 7:10 p.m.
Sunday: Pirates RHP Jared Jones (1-1, 6.23) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.13), 1:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Toss out that ugly inning and an 8-6 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field could have been a much different story.

Because the Rockies did so many things right after falling behind 7-0, beginning with rookie outfielder Sterlin Thompson hitting the first two home runs of his career. Then Hunter Goodman’s two-run homer in Colorado’s three-run eighth put the Rockies within rally distance.

In the end, it wasn’t enough, and the Cubs took two of the three in the series, and Colorado finished its road trip 2-4.

Key Moments: In the second innings, Chicago teed off on Sullivan, who was making his second big league start. The inning included a leadoff walk by Alex Bregman, a two-run triple by Matt Shaw, a two-run homer by Dansby Swanson, and an RBI double by Seiya Suzuki.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s leadoff homer down the right field line in the fourth compounded a tough night for Sullivan. However, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters postgame that he was certain the home run should have been ruled a foul ball. 

Thompson’s first career homer was a one-out shot to left in the third off Javier Assad. His second was a one-out blast to right-center off Assad in the fifth.

Who’s hot: Thompson, who added a double in the seventh for a 3-for-4 night that raised his average from .207 to .242.

Third baseman Kyle Karros hit a solo home run in the ninth, his fourth of the season. He’s hitting .359 (23 for 64) with five doubles, one triple, three home runs, and nine RBIs over his last 21 games.

Goodman’s home run was his 21st. The catcher is one of three rookies in franchise history with 50-plus hits and 10-plus home runs in the first half of the season, joining Todd Helton and Trevor Story.

Who’s not: Sullivan, who gave up eight runs on nine hits, including two homers, in four innings.

Worth noting: Thompson became the first visiting player to hit his first two career home runs in the same game at Wrigley Field since the Astros’ Orlando Miller on July 10, 1994.

Pitching probables

Thursday: Off day
Friday: Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (2-7, 4.76 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-7, 7.98 ERA), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (6-6, 2.85) at Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4, 4.79), 7:10 p.m.
Sunday: Pirates RHP Jared Jones (1-1, 6.23) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.13), 1:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Cole Carrigg’s off to a pretty solid start in his MLB career, but why was he promoted instead of Charlie Condon or Zac Veen? Was he just playing that much better than them? Is it to manage their service time in the majors? A little of both? Thanks.

— Marshall, Parker

Marshall, since you submitted your question, Carrigg has been sensational. It’s not about service time.

In the Rockies’ excruciating loss to the Cubs on Monday night, he drove in all four runs and hit an eighth-inning, three-run home run that should have stood as the game-winner.

Carrigg plays with a swagger and an edge, and in that regard, he reminds me of Troy Tulowitzki as a rookie. I asked one of Tulo’s former teammates if he shared my opinion.

“I see some,” the teammate responded. “Tulo wasn’t on the razor’s edge of out of control like Carrigg.”

Anyway, to your question, the Rockies front office sees a lot of things that fans don’t see, and that I don’t see or consider. Paul DePodesta, the president of baseball operations, recently told me that they take a hard look at “the process” a player has in the minors as a major part of their decision on when to promote a player.

Carrigg has proven that he was ready. I think promotions for Condon and Veen could very well depend on what happens as the trade deadline nears.

Patrick, I heard you’re leaving soon. It’s been a pleasure reading your coverage all these years. The Denver sports community is losing an absolute legend. What are some of the most memorable moments of your career?

— Ryan C., Aurora

Ryan, thanks for your kind comments.

Leaving The Post after nearly 28 years is a hard and emotional decision, but it was time. The buyout I was offered made me accelerate my retirement timeline. The baseball beat, particularly covering a losing Rockies team over the last few years, has been a grind. Plus, the industry is changing fast, and I’m becoming a bit of a dinosaur.

I have far too many memories to mention here in any detail, so I will list a few: Rocktober; covering all three of the Broncos’ Super Bowl title wins; watching Nolan Arenado play third base; spending time in the dugout talking baseball and music with Bud Black; being at Todd Helton’s house in Tennessee when he got the call that he was elected to the Hall of Fame; working with some incredible colleagues, especially Kyle Newman and Troy Renck; crazy, fun times in the press box with the crew; covering games at all 30 major league ballparks; having Coors Field as my office on perfect summer nights; and forming a friendship with MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, with whom I’ve had a bromance for 25 years.

I’ll be writing a farewell story soon, so keep an eye out for it.

Did you expect T.J. Rumfield to be our breakout star this season? I certainly didn’t, but, boy, is it nice to have a solution at first base after so many years of failed experiments. Do you think he’ll win the Rookie of the Year award?

— Mike, Denver

Mike, I was excited about Rumfield after seeing him play in spring training and reading the reports on his skill set. As I wrote in February: “T.J. Rumfield was a big-league first baseman trapped in Triple-A limbo.”

But I have been surprised by the quality of his at-bats; he’s been hitting like a seasoned veteran. His glove work at first base has been outstanding.

However, I don’t think he’ll be named the National League’s top rookie, for a few reasons.

First, he plays in Colorado for a team with the worst record in baseball and he’s not going to get much attention from the baseball writers who vote for the award.

Second, he plays his home games at Coors Field, which will automatically disqualify him in the minds of some voters. That’s a shame, because he’s hit just as well on the road as at home. At Coors, he’s slashing .263/.353/.449 (.802 OPS), with five homers and 22 RBIs. On the road, he’s slashing .287/.359/.465 with four homers and 12 RBIs.

Third, there are several strong candidates, led by Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt, Reds first baseman Sal Stewart, and Mets right-hander Nolan McLean.

Are you surprised, disappointed, or comfortably numb by how the Rockies have performed so far this season?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Comfortably numb? You must be a Pink Floyd fan.

Anyway, I’m not sure my characterization is on your list. I would say mildly encouraged, but the state of the pitching staff is a huge concern.

Hey Patrick! Who do you think has the best shot at becoming our lone representative at the All-Star Game? I thought it was going to be Mickey Moniak before he went on IL. I feel like our best shots are Hunter Goodman, Antonio Senzatela or Tomoyuki Sugano.

— Ryan, Aurora

Ryan, the Rockies will have only one representative, and it’s going to be Goodman for the second consecutive season. As I write this, he’s slashing .255/.327/.537 (.864 OPS) with 27 RBIs.

The Rockies rode rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield’s two-run home run in the fourth inning to beat the Cubs 5-2 and snap a 10-game losing streak at Wrigley Field.

Colorado’s bullpen, which suffered a nightmarish meltdown in a 5-4 loss to the Cubs on Monday night, delivered 4 1/3 scoreless innings, and Jaden Hill pitched a perfect ninth to record his first career save.

Key moments: The fourth inning was huge. Trailing 2-0, Colorado got a leadoff single from Jake McCarthy, an RBI double from Willi Castro, and Rumfield’s homer to take a lead it didn’t relinquish.

Who’s hot: Outfielder Jake McCarthy, finally healthy after a stomach illness, hit 3 for 4 and scored a run in the fourth. He’s hitting .291 with a .784 OPS.

Starter Ryan Feltner rebounded from a poor start in his last game and a rocky start on Tuesday night to put Colorado in a position to win. The right-hander gave up two runs on six hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

In Colorado’s 9-3 loss to the Cubs at Coors Field last week, he gave up six runs on four hits across 4 1/3 innings. Tuesday night, Feltner served up a leadoff homer to sizzling-hot Pete Crow-Armstrong and gave up another run in the second before settling in.

Rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg made a terrific catch in center field in the eighth, going into the ivy to rob Michael Busch of extra bases.

Who’s not: Carrigg, at the plate. He went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts, though he did draw a walk and steal second base in the eighth.

Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar continues to play excellent defense, but his struggles at the plate continue. He went 0 for 3 with a K, though he did draw a walk and score a run in the fifth. Tovar has struck out at least once in 16 straight games, the second-longest streak of his career. He fanned in 18 consecutive games from Aug. 8-29, 2024.

Worth noting: Outfielder Mickey Moniak is on the road back from injury. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since May 22 with right ankle tendinitis, but he’s making progress. He’s scheduled for Triple-A Albuquerque rehab games on Thursday through Saturday. He’ll return to Denver on June 21 to be evaluated by the medical staff, manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Chicago.

Pitching probables

Wednesday: Rockies LHP Sean Sullivan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) at Cubs RHP Javier Assad (4-1, 3.99), 6:05 p.m.
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (2-7, 4.76) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-7, 7.98), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (6-6, 2.85) at Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4, 4.79), 7:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

With temperatures reaching 105 degrees, the wind blowing out, and a high desert sky making every flyball an adventure, the Rockies walloped the A’s 23-9 at Las Vegas Ballpark.

The 23 runs scored set a franchise record, surpassing the previous high of 20, which had been done four times, most recently on July 24, 2024, vs. the Red Sox. The Rockies’ 24 hits were the second most in the club history, one short of the 25 they hit in a 19-3 win over the Astros at Houston on Sept. 25, 2011.

Colorado broke a three-game losing streak and avoided getting swept by the A’s.

Manager Warren Schaeffer was visibly angry after the Rockies lost 7-5 on Saturday night, saying, “It was sloppy baseball. That doesn’t play in this league.”

Sunday afternoon’s offensive explosion brought a different response.

“It was great,” Schaeffer told reporters in Las Vegas. “The boys came prepared to play today. They responded. It was good. Again, it’s just one of 162, but every day matters, and how you go about your business every day matters, and they did a great job today.”

The Rockies launched six home runs, including two each by leadoff hitter Willi Castro and catcher Hunter Goodman. In the seventh inning, TJ Rumfield turned a routine flyball to right field into a triple when Carlos Cortes couldn’t locate the ball. Rumfield tacked on a solo homer in the eighth.

“This is a very, very tough environment to play baseball in,” Schaeffer said. “Obviously, the ball flies — the thin air, the heat. The sun seemed to be right above the baseball field today. Just hard. It’s a hard place to play.”

Castro’s career day included a two-run blast in the second and a grand slam in the eighth. He drove in seven runs. The second baseman raised his average 12 points, from .266 to .278.

Goodman’s average soared from .236 to .250 thanks to his five-hit game. Goodman hit a two-run homer to center in the first, the ball flying over the swimming pool and landing 421 feet from home plate. Goodman’s solo homer to left in the fifth was jet-propelled, leaving his bat at 110.7 mph and traveling an estimated 453 feet. The catcher now has 20 home runs, with 13 of them coming on the road.

Goodman entered Sunday on a 0-for-14 slide that included 10 strikeouts, and he committed a costly error in a 6-4 loss to the A’s on Friday.

“There were two frustrating games here, for the team and obviously for me,” Goodman told Rockies.TV. “I honestly just went up there in my first at-bat trying to relax. That first at-bat, I told myself I was going to make myself see strikes.”

Third baseman Kyle Karros went 4 for 6 for the first four-hit game of his career and drove in two runs. Karros has found his swing and is evolving into the hitter Colorado envisioned during spring training. Over his last 19 games, he’s batting .362 (21 for 58) with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, and eight RBIs.

Colorado right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano picked up the victory to improve to 7-4, despite giving up eight runs on nine hits over five innings and seeing his ERA climb from 4.08 to 4.79. Then again, for anyone who took the mound on Sunday, the game was a matter of survival.

“I thought Sugano was fantastic today, honestly, in a very, very tough environment,” Schaeffer said. “He had a high pitch count in the first inning, but he grinded through and gave us five innings and he got the win. So, that’s resilience, and that’s a professional, hard at work out there in a very difficult environment.”

Pitching probables

Monday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.54 ERA) at Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.44), 6:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-2, 5.20) at Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (4-3, 4.86), 6:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Rockies LHP Sean Sullivan (0-0, 0.00) at Cubs RHP Javier Assad (4-1, 3.99), 6:05 p.m.
Thursday: Off day

TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Sullivan pitched three scoreless innings but was unable to go deeper into the game. Manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters after the game that Sullivan was “sick as a dog” and was vomiting during his pregame bullpen session. Schaeffer praised Sullivan for toughing it out for three innings.

Key moments: The A’s scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a throwing error by catcher Hunter Goodman. The Rockies had Lawrence Butler caught in a rundown between home and third base, but Goodman made a poor throw to third baseman Kyle Karros, and the ball bounced into left field, allowing Butler to score.

The big blow of Colorado’s four-run sixth inning was rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg’s three-run blast to right off right-hander Justin Sterner. Carrigg has two home runs and a triple in his first four major league games. Colorado led 4-2 on Carrigg’s homer.

The A’s tied the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the frame on Max Muncy’s two-run double.

The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz hit enormous back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning off reliever Seth Halvorsen to take a 2-0 lead. Langeliers’ homer to dead center traveled 450 feet, and Kurtz’s bomb went 471 feet to right-center, making it the longest homer in the majors this season.

Who’s hot: Carrigg, whose power and swagger have given Colorado a burst of energy.

Karros, batting second for the second game in a row, is slowly but surely finding his groove at the plate. He hit 2 for 4 on Friday, raising his average to .232.

Who’s not: Goodman, who compounded his error by going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. His K rate is 34.1%. Goodman, however, does have 18 home runs.

Reliever Zach Agnos, who took the loss, gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. His ERA stands at 7.80.

Worth noting: Entering Friday night’s game, Carrigg had played six regular-season career games at Las Vegas Ball Park with Triple-A Albuquerque (all in 2026). He slashed .400/.556/.700 (8 for 20) with three doubles and a home run over those six games.

Pitching probables

Saturday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-6, 7.81 ERA) at A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.68), 8:05 p.m.
Sunday: Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (6-4, 4.08) at A’s RHP J.T. Ginn (4-3, 3.15), 1:05 p.m.
Monday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-7, 7.54) at Cubs LPH Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.44), 6:05 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Sullivan’s call-up on Friday comes with the news that right-hander Chase Dollander, whom the Rockies hope will develop into a No. 1 starter, was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

According to manager Warren Schaeffer, there is a good chance that Dollander will have to undergo Tommy John surgery, which would end his season and set back his progress.

“It¶¶Ňőap looking like surgery on the UCL,” Schaeffer told reporters in Las Vegas. “Nothing is set in stone, but that¶¶Ňőap the way it¶¶Ňőap trending.”

Officially, Dollander has a right elbow sprain and is scheduled to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister next Friday. Meister, based in Texas, is an orthopedic surgeon and a specialist in elbow reconstruction. Dollander, out since May 15, will now be on the IL until at least July 15.

Sullivan started on Friday night when the Rockies played the Athletics in Las Vegas.

The 23-year-old left-hander was the Rockies’ second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2023 when he impressed with a 2.45 ERA over 69 2/3 innings in his final season for the Demon Deacons.

Sullivan is ranked as the Last year, Sullivan thrived against hitters in Single-A and Double-A, posting a 2.94 with a 24.9 strikeout rate over 20 starts.

But his numbers skyrocketed this season, pitching for Triple-A Albuquerque in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has a 5.60 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A with a 20.2% K rate.

The lanky, 6-foot-4 Sullivan is not a flamethrower, but throws from a three-quarters arm slot that adds deception and makes hitters uncomfortable. Although he throws his four-seam fastball 41% of the time, the velocity is just 89 mph. Sullivan mixes in an upper-70s slider with a changeup and a cutter. His changeup is his best pitch, and he has excellent control. He walked just 6% of hitters last season at Single-A and Double-A, while walking 7.7% of hitters pitching for the Isotopes this season.

Sullivan will make his major league debut in the Triple-A stadium in Las Vegas, where he has some experience. The lefty last pitched there on May 19 and got hammered. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on 12 hits while striking out four and walking none.

Rockies starters have a collective ERA of 5.94, easily the worst in the majors. The club has not only lost Dollander to an elbow injury, but also veteran lefty Jose Quintana. Also, right-hander Tanner Gordon recently went on the 15-day injured list with a hip impingement.

Veteran right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano has been Colorado’s best starter, posting a 4.08 ERA. Veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen (7.54 ERA in 15 games, 11 starts) and longtime Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (7.81 ERA in 11 starts) have been hit hard.