Rockies split doubleheader, as Marquez rocked and Blackmon homers
May 5, 2021, 6:36 AM
German Marquez has had enough of the Giants. In the opening inning of Tuesday’s first game of a doubleheader forced by Monday’s rainout, Marquez allowed eight runs on six hits and two walks before being removed after only 2/3 of an inning. Though outfielder Raimel Tapia hit his third career grand slam in the fourth inning to plate all of the Rockies’ runs, the game was immediately out of hand, and when Marquez took the loss in the eventual 12-4 blowout, it was his third of the season… all of them to the Giants.
The nightcap provided a much better result for the Rockies, in part to the return of an old teammate. Reliever Jake McGee revisited Coors Field on Tuesday, and the meltdown he had in the late innings seemed all too familiar to Rockies fans — but this time, it was to their benefit.
Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Garrett Hampson, Trevor Story and Ryan McMahon managed consecutive hits to make the score 6-5 when McGee was pulled for Camilo Doval, who proceeded to allow a hit to C.J. Cron and then a walk-off, three-run home run by Charlie Blackmon, who stole victory from the jaws of defeat.
“We’ve got guys who play really hard. And you saw that there in the last inning. We were down four with two outs. We could have just packed it up and went home, and our guys didn’t do that,” Blackmon said. “It was big for me to be able to come through for the guys. They work so hard to get there. That makes me feel like I didn’t let them down today. That was nice.”
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NEXT UP: Rockies (11-19, 5th in NL West) vs. Giants (18-12, 1st in NL West) | Wednesday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m. | COL: Jon Gray (3-2, 3.15 ERA) vs. SF: Logan Webb (1-2, 4.13 ERA).
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NOTES
• German Marquez now has a 13.06 ERA in 10 1/3 innings against the Giants this season, and he’s earned the loss in all three of those games. “There’s definitely some things we have to take care of as far as command,” manager Bud Black explained. “Overall, we’ve got to get the ball in better spots with the fastball. Fastball command; overall, the season has been lacking. The breaking ball today was inconsistent. And he couldn’t get out of it.”
• The Giants’ 10-run first inning in the opening game Tuesday marked the seventh time in Rockies history that they’ve surrendered double-digit runs in an inning, and the first since June of 2017.
• In the nightcap, the Rockies 3-4-5-6 hitters — Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon, C.J. Cron and Charlie Blackmon — combined to go 7-for-15 (.467) with a double, two home runs and five runs scored, and drove in all eight of the team’s runs in the comeback win. “We’re not horrible,” said Blackmon, who is hitting .286 (8-for-28) in his last eight games.
• The last time the Rockies won a game trailing in the final inning by by four or more runs was in August of 2014, when they toppled the Reds 10-9 after trailing 9-5 to start the inning.
• As the minor league season begins, seven of the Rockies’ Top 10 prospects (per MLB.com) are in A-ball; a long, long way away from the majors. Only pitcher Ryan Rolison (No. 2, Double-A Hartford), outfielder Ryan Vilade (No. 4, Albuquerque) and third baseman Elehuris Montero (No. 9, Hartford) — who was acquired in the Nolan Arenado trade —are anywhere close to helping the Rockies this season.
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THE FINAL WORD
“This is a young team that likes to play the game. They like to have fun; they enjoy it. And helps me remember that I play this game because it’s fun. It’s why I started playing the game. It’s really awesome for me to be around that. And I enjoy that they’ve taken me in. They’ve played really hard baseball, and I’m proud of our guys.” — Charlie Blackmon.
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STARTING LINEUP (Game 1)
LF Raimel Tapia
SS Trevor Story
2B Ryan McMahon
1B C.J. Cron
RF Charlie Blackmon
CF Garrett Hampson
C Dom Nunez
3B Josh Fuentes
SP German Marquez
STARTING LINEUP (Game 2)
LF Raimel Tapia
CF Garrett Hampson
SS Trevor Story
2B Ryan McMahon
1B C.J. Cron
RF Charlie Blackmon
3B Josh Fuentes
C Elias Diaz
SP Ryan Castellani
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INJURY WATCH
• Carlos Estevez (strained right middle finger) was placed on the 10-day IL on May 3, retroactive to April 30.
• Antonio Senzatela (strained right groin) was placed on the 10-day IL on May 1. He is expected to miss only one or two starts.
• Yency Almonte (bruised right hand) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 29.
• Kyle Freeland (strained left shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1. He has been throwing bullpen sessions and is expected back in early May.
• Brendan Rodgers (strained right hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1. He has been practicing and could potentially return in early May.
• Chris Owings (left thumb surgery) was placed on the 60-day IL in mid-April and will likely be out until the All-Star break.
• Scott Oberg (blood clots) had surgery prior to the end of Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-day IL on Mar. 27 and his season is in doubt.
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Shawn Drotar is the host of “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar;” weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to midnight — only on 104.3 The Fan. Follow him on Twitter at @sdrotar.
