Bullpen, Blackmon, Hanigan lift Rockies past Cubs
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[June 10, 2017]
CHICAGO -- The Colorado Rockies'
bullpen came through once again, despite a nail-biting finish.
Charlie Blackmon and Ryan Hanigan each hit a two-run homer and
Colorado hung on to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Friday for its
sixth straight victory.
The Rockies, who lead the National League with 40 wins, cobbled the
victory and improved to 23-10 on the road.
After starter German Marquez lasted just three innings, five
relievers allowed just one hit and one run.
"It was a big day for them," Hanigan said. "The bullpen has been
huge for us all year.
"We're in a good groove as a team right now. We've got to get greedy
and try to win as many as we can."
But Friday's victory nearly slipped away.
Veteran closer Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his majors-best
23rd save in as many chances despite walking the bases loaded with
one out. He escaped by getting Ben Zobrist to pop out and before
striking out Jason Heyward.
"Uncharacteristic, really the three walks," manager Bud Black said.
"But the good closers know how to navigate through an inning when
they need to."
Hanigan calls Holland a cool and "deliberate" pitcher. He had to be
after putting Ian Happ, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo on base.
"I didn't have command early in the inning," Holland said. "Luckily,
I found it and Hanny walked me through it.
"I've had the bases loaded enough to know you can still wiggle out
of it if you make a few pitches."
Blackmon snapped a tie in the fifth with his 14th homer, a shot off
Seth Frankoff, who made his major league debut.
Nolan Arenado drove in an insurance run with a single in the seventh
and Ian Desmond had three hits.
Heyward had two RBIs as the Cubs lost their third straight following
a five-game winning streak.
Marquez's 80-pitch start was pushed back a day to allow bruising on
his right thumb to subside. The right-hander allowed two runs -- one
earned -- on two hits and three walks before being replaced by Chris
Rusin (3-0), who pitched two innings for the win.
Chicago long-relief specialist Mike Montgomery made his first start
of the season and went four innings, allowing two runs -- on
Hanigan's homer -- and striking out five.
"I wasn't able to those quick outs," Montgomery said. "I knew that I
had to battle. The pitch count (73) got up a little bit, but you
have to give their team credit for that."
Montgomery started in place of right hander Kyle Hendricks, who went
on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday with tendinitis in his
pitching hand. Frankoff (0-1), who pitched two innings following
Montgomery, had been recalled to fill Hendricks' roster spot.
All-Star shortstop Addison Russell rejoined the Cubs on Friday after
the team told him to take off Thursday's game against the Rockies in
the wake of a domestic violence allegation on social media. Russell
was available off the bench.
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Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) forces out Chicago Cubs second
baseman Ben Zobrist (18) at second base during the fifth inning at
Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring
one unearned run on a rare Rockies defensive miscue.
With two outs, Anthony Rizzo walked and Zobrist singled. Both came
home when Heyward singled up the middle, then advanced to second
after Blackmon bobbled the ball in center field and threw wide back
to the infield.
Blackmon was charged with just his second error this season.
The Rockies tied it 2-all in the second on Hanigan's second homer, a
shot to left .
Aided by a catcher interference call on Hanigan, the Cubs loaded the
bases with one out in the third. Marquez escaped the jam by striking
out Javier Baez and getting Miguel Montero to fly out to short left.
Colorado moved ahead 4-2 in the fifth on Blackmon's drive to right.
Frankoff, recalled to take Hendricks' roster spot, was greeted by
Rusin's single. Blackmon then tagged the 28-year-old righty with a
towering shot.
The Cubs trimmed it to 4-3 the bottom half of the inning. Rizzo
scored from third when Heyward grounded into a force out.
Arenado's sharp single with two outs in the seventh drove in
pinch-hitter Raimel Tapia from third to make it 5-3.
NOTES: The Rockies reinstated RHP Adam Ottavino (right shoulder
inflammation) for the 10-day disabled list. He pitched a scoreless
eighth for his 16th hold. To make room, Colorado sent RHP Carlos
Estevez to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Hendricks said he hope to miss
only one start and would be able to rejoin the rotation next week in
Pittsburgh. The righty said the "inflammation" in his hand flared up
Tuesday after a bullpen session, and that he never experienced a
similar injury. Hendricks is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts after
winning 16 games and leading the majors in ERA a year ago. ...
Manager Joe Maddon hopes to get Russell, who has struggled at the
plate, back into the lineup soon. "We'll just treat him normally and
get him back on the field," Maddon said. Russell was accused of
"mental and physical" abuse against his wife, Melisa, by someone
claiming to be a family friend -- with the Instagram handle
@carlierreed -- in a post on a now-removed account. In meeting with
media on Friday, Russell said the Cubs had been supportive during
the episode. [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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