Rockies sprint to 5-run lead, hold off Rangers for 7-6 win

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 48:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Colorado took a 6-2 lead after four innings after Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore left following one inning of work due to a lat strain, then hung on for a 7-6 win in front of 16,126 chilled, drenched onlookers — and a few hundred canines for “Bark in the Park Night” — at Coors Field on Monday.

Working patiently, the Rockies worked three walks in the first three innings and capitalized off a pair of Texas errors to build their advantage. Ezequiel Tovar struck the initial wallop with a 2-RBI double in the first inning; he also drew a third-inning walk and eventually scored in that inning.

“What do we talk about? Taking your walks, passing the baton to the next guy,” manager Warren Scheffer said.

Sterlin Thompson notched his first major-league hit with a single to lead off the fourth inning, finishing the evening 1-for-4. It was initially ruled an error before being changed to a hit, launching another two-run inning that included RBI singles from Brenton Doyle and TJ Rumfield.

Upon further review … STERLIN THOMPSON'S FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE HIT! pic.twitter.com/A7rIuz8vPB

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 19, 2026

Willi Castro’s second double of the evening added a seventh run in the sixth inning, which proved crucial after Victor Vodnik loaded the bases via a leadoff single and two walks over 14 pitches in the eighth, failing to record an out before bing lifted. Brennan Bernardino entered and gave up a 2-RBI single then allowed a sacrifice fly after a five-pitch walk to Foscue, capping the Texas second baseman’s 3-for-3, 3-RBI night. But Bernardino rallied to preserve the lead, and Juan Mejia finished off the Rangers in the ninth.

Colorado improved to 19-29 and earned its second win of the homestand after dropping the weekend series to Arizona.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

José Quintana finished one out short of his second quality start of the season, but still picked up the win thanks to the ample run support on a might where he yielded seven hits and a walk, but delivered three clean innings and avoided the big inning, with single runs allowed in the second, third and sixth innings.

“Off-speed for strikes, keeping them off-balance, the key is staying off the barrel, not a lot of hard contact,” Schaeffer said.

Aside from Justin Fescue’s solo homer with one out in the fifth inning, Quintana largely kept Texas’ bats on ice. Ultimately, the only real spot of bother for Quintana was with two outs. Consecutive two-out hits brought home a second-inning run; a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases in the fifth before he got Josh Jung to ground out to end the threat, and after he retired two batters in the sixth, an infield single and Foscue’s second RBI double of the night forced Schaeffer to turn to Jaden Hill after 94 pitches.

Hill quickly dispatched Sam Haggerty to end the threat, then struck out the side in the seventh.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Mejia got Danny Jansen to pop out to Edouard Julien for the final out with the tying run on first base, earning his third save of the season.

NUMBER TO NOTE: .308 — Tovar’s batting average since May 8; he was hitting .186 prior to the start of the Rockies’ Pennsylvania road trip. He nudged his average over the Mendoza Line during the weekend; he’s now at .206.

WHAT’S NEXT: Kumar Rocker will get the call for the Rangers; Sammy Peralta is expected to work as the opener on Tuesday night, setting up for Tanner Gordon. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. MDT, weather permitting.

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