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 Gonzalez's two-run homer in the sixth inning accounted for the final
margin in the Rockies' 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at
Chase Field, a lead that he preserved with a diving catch in the
last of the ninth inning.
"They are both special," Gonzalez said. "The home run ended up being
difference. The catch, they always feel good because I want to help
my pitchers. In a big situation like that, it is just as special as
a home run."
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki's three-run homer in a four-run first
inning gave Jorge De La Rosa (6-3) a big early cushion, and
Gonzalez's homer gave the Rockies a 6-1 lead.
The Diamondbacks chipped behind right fielder Yasmany Tomas, who had
a homer and three RBIs, and closed to within two runs in the eighth
inning on doubles by center fielder A.J. Pollock and first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt and a single by Tomas.
Pollock batted again with runners on first and second and one out in
the ninth inning, and he hit a sinking line drive that three-time
Gold Glove winner Gonzalez caught with a dive. Axford struck out
All-Star starter Goldschmidt for the final out.
"There is no doubt in my mind that, off the bat, that's a hit,"
Colorado manager Walt Weiss said of Pollock's ball. "You're
thinking, 'Here we go.' That's a big-time play by Cargo."
Axford had his 14th save in 15 attempts.
"They won the battle today," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "That
was a good job by Axford getting one of the best hitters in
baseball."
Gonzalez had three hits and Tulowitzki had two, extending his
hitting streak to a career-high 18 games. He also reached base for
the 32nd straight game, another career best.
Tulowitzki's homer was the third of six straight hits against
Arizona right-hander Rubby De La Rosa (6-4), who also surrendered
Gonzalez's homer, his 11th of the season. It was an opposite field
shot to left.
"I just followed the way he pitched me," Gonzalez said. "My second
at-bat, he threw me a changeup away and I rolled over and hit a
ground ball to second. He pitched the same on the third at-bat. The
changeup comes up, and I was able to hit it the other way."
Jorge De La Rosa gave up two runs and five hits in six innings for
his first victory in 10 career starts at Chase Field as the Rockies
(35-47) salvaged the final game of a four-game series while winning
for the second time in nine games.
"My first win here is nice," Jorge De La Rosa said. "I threw some
good games here, but I never got lucky to win a game."
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Tomas hit his fifth homer of the season in the second inning and had
a sacrifice fly in the last of the sixth to cut Colorado's lead to
6-2.
Arizona (40-42) was unsuccessful in its 13th attempt to reach .500
for the first time since April 24, when it was 8-8. The Diamondbacks
had won three in a row and five of their last seven.
Shortstop Nick Ahmed had three hits.
Center fielder Charlie Blackmon and second baseman DJ LeMahieu
singled to open the first inning before Tulowitzki hit his ninth
homer of the season. Gonzalez, catcher Michael McKenry and first
baseman Ben Paulsen followed with singles for a 4-0 lead.
"If I can find my power stroke, it will definitely be brought into
the game more than it has been," said Tulowitzki, who is hitting
.321.
NOTES: Home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth left the game after being
struck in the chest by a foul ball with one out and two on in the
last of the second inning. Jim Reynolds took over behind the plate
in a three-man crew. ... Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado missed his third
game of the season, his first since April 21. Arenado, a two-time
Gold Glove winner who began the day with 24 homers and a
major-league-leading 68 RBIs, committed three errors in the previous
two games. ... Arizona LHP Patrick Corbin, who won his 2015 debut
Saturday after recovering from Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to
start again next Saturday, the second game of a three-game series at
the New York Mets. Corbin's victory Saturday was his first since
Sept. 11, 2013. ... Colorado LHP Jorge De La Rosa recorded his
1,000th major league strikeout when he got 1B Paul Goldschmidt
swinging in the first inning. ... The game was the second matchup of
starting pitchers named De La Rosa -- Colorado's Jorge and Arizona's
Rubby -- in major league history. The first occurred when they faced
each other June 25 at Coors Field.
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