LDN - Sports

Gonzalez, Rockies outslug Rangers

[August 12, 2016] ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Colorado Rockies' finale with the Texas Rangers turned out to be a four-hour mini-series featuring 29 hits and 402 pitches.

And it came down to a guy the Rockies have sorely missed while in the midst of a four-game losing streak, including three to Texas.

Carlos Gonzalez's climactic pinch-hit double drove in three to highlight a five-run eighth inning in Colorado's 12-9 marathon victory over the Rangers on Thursday afternoon.

Gonzalez, who had missed the previous two games with a swollen left ankle, drove Matt Bush's pitch to the gap in left-center field, scoring Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado and David Dahl, who reached a milestone on a day the temperature reached 105 degrees.

"In the past couple of days, I've been trying to stay in the game, be alert, stay loose and look for situations like the one I had today," said Gonzalez, who hopes to be in the field for the start of Colorado's series with Philadelphia on Friday. "That was the perfect opportunity for me to jump in there."

Colorado sent nine men to the plate in the eighth, rocking Rangers relievers Jake Diekman and Bush, who surrendered the runs on three hits, three walks and a wild pitch.

Tony Wolters and rookie Dahl each had RBIs. Dahl extended his hitting streak to 17 games to match the major-league record for longest hitting streak to begin a major-league career, tying the Reds' Chuck Aleno in 1941.

Right-hander Scott Oberg (1-1) earned the victory and Adam Ottavino struck out the side in the ninth to register his first save of the season. Diekman (3-2) gave up three runs on two hits in one-third of an inning.

Blackmon, who was 4-for-6, belted his eighth leadoff home run of the season and added a double that drove in another run in the fourth. Mark Reynolds, who left the game with a hand injury, drove in two runs in Colorado's three-run third.

In four games against Texas this week, Blackmon was 11-for-19 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBIs and seven runs scored.

The loss snapped the Rangers' five-game winning streak.

Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run eighth inning, capped by Elvis Andrus' two-run double.

Beltre's 18th home run of the season was also the 431st of his career and tied him for 47th place all-time with Cal Ripken. With two RBIs, Beltre moved ahead of Joe DiMaggio for sole possession of 47th all-time with 1,539.

Rougned Odor had a triple and home run and three RBIs, while Ian Desmond knocked in two runs.

Diekman and Bush, who gave up two runs on a hit and two walks (one to Dahl with the bases loaded) in two-thirds of an inning, weren't the only ones who took a beating. The teams' pitchers -- 10 of them -- combined to give up 10 walks, five wild pitches and two hit batters.

"Diek just lost a little feel for the strike zone and feel for pitch," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "I think the last couple of outings, a little bit erratic, little uncommon of Diek. Tough day for him. As far as Bush ... didn't attack the strike zone today."

The starters' pitching lines resembled a busy slot machine.

Colorado's Chad Bettis entered with a four-game winning streak, and for the first time in eight starts he didn't work into the sixth. Bettis gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out two in 110 pitches over five innings.

[to top of second column]

Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) hits a three run double in the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Lucas Harrell, who was making his third start with Texas since being acquired in a trade from Atlanta last month, threw 118 pitches in six innings, giving up six runs on nine hits while striking out a season-high eight batters.

Harrell gave up a leadoff homer to Blackmon and then loaded the bases with one out after walking Arenado and hitting Reynolds with a pitch. Harrell regained control, however, striking out the next two hitters to get out of the inning.

In fact, he went on to strike out four in a row by getting the first two hitters of the second. But that's where the comparisons to Roger Clemens ended.

"These games have been back and forth the whole series," Moreland said. "We've done it to them three times, they did it to us today. It's part of the game. They flipped the script on us. It's one of those days."

Colorado's big inning was set up by a one-out walk to Ryan Raburn followed by consecutive base hits from Wolters and Blackmon and two more walks as Gonzalez walked to the plate.

"It was the perfect scenario for me," Gonzalez said. "That's what I work for, for moments like that. I'm glad I got the job done, especially with all the tough losses against the Rangers. That was good for us to get away from the little bad streak. Now we're on the winning side."

NOTES: Rockies 1B Mark Reynolds left the game in the middle of an at-bat in the seventh inning, bothered by what he described as a lingering hand injury. Manager Walt Weiss said he believes it might mean the disabled list for Reynolds. ... Colorado RHP Chad Qualls (stomach ailment) will begin a rehabilitation assignment on Saturday with Triple-A Albuquerque. He is scheduled to throw again on Monday. "Everything is back to normal," said the 37-year-old Qualls, who has lost 16 pounds. "I have never had my guts hurt like that." ... Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez was out of the starting lineup for a third consecutive game with a swollen ankle, but he was available for pinch-hitting duty, Weiss said. Gonzalez has a 18-game hitting streak after getting a pinch hit Thursday. ... Texas RHP Derek Holland (60-day DL, shoulder) was back in Arlington after a minor-league rehab start at Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday. He threw 77 pitches in three innings and a bullpen session afterward without issue. "Everything went where it needed to go," Holland said. "Started slow with location ... everything was up. It was still a really good outing. I thought I did a good job of executing."

Back to top