Rockies come back from 5-run deficit, get first walk-off win of season

Rockies Report, Game 68:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Orlando Arcia’s walk-off single capped a furious comeback from a 7-2 deficit, giving the Rockies an 8-7 triumph over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field.

The win snapped a five-game skid for Colorado and ended a seven-game Giants winning streak.

Happy flight and sweet dreams TONIGHT!#Rockies x @denvermattress pic.twitter.com/gv1KClXVb0

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 12, 2025

It allowed the Rox to avoid a winless homestand. For all of their struggles, Colorado has managed to win at least one game in each of its previous homestands this season, but entered Thursday’s matinee 0-5 after coughing up leads Tuesday and Wednesday against the Giants.

Mickey Moniak kick-started the comeback with a solo home run in the sixth inning. A 2-RBI double from Thairo Estrada one inning later pulled Colorado back within 7-5.

But in the ninth, the patient Rockies wore down Randy Rodríguez. After Jordan Beck flew out on a 3-2 pitch, Sam Hilliard drew a 3-2 walk. Estrada drew the count to 3-2, fouled off a pitch and doubled down the left-field line to bring the winning run to the plate.

Ryan McMahon walked to load the bases. Then, the Rox got the stroke of luck they’ve so often lacked when Brenton Doyle reached base on an error as Hilliard scored.

Hunter Goodman struck out as a pinch hitter, leaving the game in Arcia’s hands. Giants manager Bob Melvin left Rodríguez in despite a pitch count soaring past 40 in the inning, and the 43rd pitch of the frame was the one that sent the Rockies on a happy flight to Atlanta.

Colorado is 13-55.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Interim manager Warren Schaeffer opted to use an opener last Friday when Antonio Senzatela’s turn in the rotation arrived, citing Senzatela’s woeful first-inning splits as a reason. And in that start against the New York Mets, the tactic worked; Senzatela threw four shutout innings after Ryan Rolison handled the first frame.

Thursday, it was back to a traditional start, but Senzatela made it through the opening frame, emerging unscathed despite a four-pitch walk to Heliot Ramos and a subsequent wild pitch.

But in the second inning, it was death by paper cuts. Seven Giants reached base. Six did so via singles; another, Willy Adames, reached via a two-out walk that loaded the bases.

By then, it was 2-0. Adames was the third consecutive Giant to reach base. The fourth in that stretch — Ramos — was the most damaging; he lined an 89-MPH slider to center field one pitch later to score two more runs and push San Francisco comfortably in front.

The second-inning damage happened over a grueling 39 pitches. San Francisco’s fifth-inning attack happened over Senzatela’s final 11 pitches, resulting in a Wilmer Flores double, a Mike Yastrzemski walk and, finally, a changeup in the heart of the zone that Dominic Smith crushed to right field, putting Colorado in a 7-2 hole.

But thanks to lockdown work from the bullpen and a stunning rally, Senzatela emerged with no decision to remain at 1-10.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Arcia sent the 3-2 fastball to left field.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 0 — Runs allowed by the bullpen over five innings after five woebegone games during the homestead, including a pair of fall-from-ahead defeats Tuesday and Wednesday.

WHAT’S NEXT: A seven-game East Coast trip that begins with a three-game series in Atlanta. Germán Márquez will start for Colorado; Atlanta will counter with 2023 All-Star Bryce Elder, who earned his first win of the season April 28 at Coors Field. First pitch at Truist Park is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. MDT.

OUR TURN. pic.twitter.com/P8CKkJZ5Aw

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 12, 2025

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