Charlie Blackmon’s two-run home run in the sixth inning was part of a four-run spurt that proved to be difference in the Colorado Rockies’ 7-6 win over the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday in Denver.
The Diamondbacks have lost 12 games on the road, their longest streak since losing a franchise-record 14 straight from May 18-June 18, 2010.
They have lost their last seven games and 10 of their last 11. They scored only seven runs in the previous six games of the losing streak entering Saturday.
David Peralta was left stranded at second base in the top of ninth after leading off the inning with a double against Daniel Bard, who notched his fifth save.
The teams answered rallies against each other in the sixth and seventh, with the Diamondbacks first scoring three runs in the top of the sixth that included an RBI double by Josh Reddick to tie the game at 3.
The Rockies responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning against Arizona starter Madison Bumgarner, highlighted by Blackmon’s two-run home run, his third home run of the season.
Eduardo Escobar’s three-run home run, his fifth home run in his last eight games, cut the lead to 7-6 in the top of the seventh. The homer, his 12th this year, came off reliever Yency Almonte, who previously allowed a single to Pavin Smith and a double to Josh Rojas to start the inning.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with two outs following a double by Stephen Vogt and walks issued to Nick Ahmed and Josh VanMeter by Mychal Givens. Carlos Estevez entered for Colorado and got Andrew Young to fly out to a diving Raimel Tapia in left field to end the threat.
Bumgarner (4-4) was limited to four innings in his last start Monday at the Los Angeles Dodgers because of a groin injury. He allowed eight hits and seven runs (five earned) in six innings Saturday with two strikeouts and no walks.
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Tyler Kinley (1-0) quelled Arizona’s rally in the sixth to earn the win.
–Field Level Media