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 It was the ninth walk-off win for the Rockies this season and
fourth on a home run as they wiped out a five-run deficit and moved
into a tie with Arizona for fourth place in the National League
West.
Rosario went 4-for-5 with a double, including his 12th homer and
three RBIs when he connected on a hanging first-pitch slider from
Diamondbacks closer Addison Reed (1-7).
"When I see the outfielder running back hard, I say 'If he catches
it, we lost. If the ball pass (into) the stands, we win,'" Rosario
said of his homer.
"A terrible slider, a hanging slider," said Reed, who blew his sixth
save in 37 chances. "Probably higher than belt high. I had been wild
before tonight. Then I felt my command was finally there and made
one mistake to Rosario."
Pinch-hitter Corey Dickerson led off the ninth with an
opposite-field single on a 1-2 pitch. First baseman Justin Morneau
flied out, leaving him hitless in five at-bats and two points behind
Josh Harrison (.319) in the National League batting race.
After right fielder Michael Cuddyer flied out, Rosario connected,
giving the Rockies their third straight win and fourth in five games
on their final seven-game homestand.
Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins (4-3) retired the side in order in
the top of the ninth and was the winning pitcher.
The Rockies got a strong but abbreviated start from Yohan Flande. In
his first start since Aug. 17, Flande, who made four scoreless
relief appearances this month totaling 4 1/3 innings, was on a limit
of 60-65 pitches and left after throwing 59 pitches and giving up
two hits and two runs in five innings.
"He looked a lot like he has for five innings in just about every
start," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Flande, who left with the
Rockies trailing 2-1.
Diamondbacks starter Vidal Nuno gave up three runs and left after
throwing 98 pitches, 74 strikes, in 5 1/3 innings. He remains
winless in 13 starts for the Arizona since being acquired from the
New York Yankees in a July trade.
A four-run sixth gave the Diamondbacks a 6-1 lead, the final two
runs scoring on a single by Jordan Pacheco, who Arizona claimed off
waivers from the Rockies in early June.
Tommy Kahnle, who took over for Flande in the sixth, forced in a run
with a walk after loading the bases with no outs. Kahnle sandwiched
a walk between singles by Ender Inciarte and center fielder A.J.
Pollock, leaving after throwing just five of 15 pitches for strikes.
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Matt Belisle relieved Kahnle and gave up a sacrifice fly to right
fielder Cody Ross that moved up all three runners in addition to
making the score 4-1. Belisle fell behind catcher Miguel Montero 2-1
and intentionally walked him to get to Pacheco.
Cuddyer, who homered in the second and went 3-for-5 with a double,
one RBI and three runs scored, led off the Rockies' eighth with a
double and scored to make it 6-4 on Rosario's single. Zeke Spruill
got left fielder Bandon Barnes to ground into a double play but gave
up an infield single to third baseman Charlie Culberson followed by
DJ LeMahieu's double that made it a one-run game, setting the stage
for Rosario.
"In that situation, you only have one notion," said Rosario, who is
hitting .265 with 51 RBIs. "Try to hit the ball hard and see what
happens. I hit it real good. I got the opportunity to find that
pitch up in the zone, and I do my thing."
NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado returned to Coors Field for the
first time since Monday, when he was diagnosed with early onset
pneumonia. He might not play again this season. ... Diamondbacks RHP
Daniel Hudson will not pitch the rest of the season, but he is not
being shut down for health reasons. He made three relief appearances
after coming back from his second Tommy John surgery. ... Arizona OF
Mark Trumbo took batting practice but was not in the lineup after
leaving Wednesday's game due to back spasms. ... Diamondbacks RF
Daniel Peralta, who has not played since Sept. 5 due to a lower back
strain, is a day or two away from returning. ... Colorado 1B Justin
Morneau, who had five RBIs in the first inning Wednesday, became the
first player with five or more RBIs in the opening inning since
Boston's David Ortiz had six on Aug. 12, 2008.
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