Bud Black ejected, but Rockies finally get first series win of 2024

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies successfully strung together their first winning streak and series win of the season Saturday night in an 8-3 triumph at Coors Field — and along with it came another first of 2024: a Bud Black ejection.

The win sealed a series triumph for the Rockies over the defending world champions, and it came not even a fortnight after they dropped three-straight in Miami to the Marlins, who now sit alone at the foot of the MLB table.

Colorado snapped a streak of 16-straight series without a win dating back to last September, which included 14 series losses and two splits — the most recent coming against the San Diego Padres just over two weeks ago.

AS FOR THE BUD BLACK EJECTION

Home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild tossed Black after a controversial end to the fifth inning. Texas shortstop Corey Seager appeared to pull Ezequiel Tovar off of the bag when the Rockies shortstop attempted to steal second base. Tovar was ruled out on a 2-6 caught stealing, and the teams returned to their dugouts.

A subsequent replay appeared to show Tovar being nudged off the bag after sliding in safe. The Rockies did not challenge play, and as Fairchild gestured toward the Colorado dugout, Bud Black exploded.

“He called him safe initially, and after the slide called him out,” said Rockies bench coach Mike Redmond, who filled in for Black after the ejection. “We were trying to look at it, and they said we ran out of time.

“I looked, because I’m watching the clock. And I told Buddy with two seconds to go, and I know Buddy did it immediately. I’m not sure how two seconds ran off that quick. But they decided we ran out of time.

“… It was tight, but I thought we were good.”

The ejection appeared to light a fire under the Rockies, who trailed 2-1 at the time Black was tossed. Colorado tied it in the sixth inning, and then answered a Rangers run in the top of the seventh with 6 of their own.

The Rockies did all of their seventh-inning handiwork with two outs. With a sudden spring shower washing over Coors Field, six-straight Rockies reached base via three singles, a Charlie Blackmon double, a walk and a hit batter.

Most of the damage was done by catcher Jacob Stallings — who delivered 2-RBI ground-ball single up the middle to push the lead to 6-3 — and Blackmon. Pinch hitting for Hunter Goodman, Blackmon sliced a line drive down the first-base line that skipped off the glove of Texas first baseman Nicholas Lowe and down the line, scoring Stallings and Brenton Doyle.

Goodman, who has struggled at the plate since his call-up late last month and is batting just .111, delivered a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning to get the Rockies on the board. Elias Díaz — working as a designated hitter — and Ryan McMahon also drove in runs.

Pitcher Ryan Feltner had a quality start, allowing just 2 runs — both earned — 5 hits and 2 walks in six innings of work.