Arenado homers to help Rockies get past Cardinals

[September 11, 2019]  Nolan Arenado homered among his two hits, Chi Chi Gonzalez pitched six solid innings for his first win of the season, and the Colorado Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Tuesday night in Denver.

Charlie Blackmon also had two hits, and Jairo Diaz pitched two innings to pick up his second save.

Dexter Fowler doubled and scored for the Cardinals, who managed just six hits against Gonzalez and three relievers.

Gonzalez (1-6), who had an 11.81 ERA in August, has allowed just three runs in 12 1/3 innings over two starts this month. On Tuesday, he gave up just one run on four hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter. It was his 10th start for the Rockies since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque in late June.

The Rockies got their runs in the first inning off starter Michael Wacha (6-7). Blackmon reached on a one-out single, and Arenado followed with his 38th homer, a 482-foot shot to the concourse in left field on a 2-1 changeup. The ball bounced once and out of Coors Field and into a parking lot.

Arenado is on pace to hit 40 home runs for the third time in his career.

Blackmon and Arenado had two-out singles in the third but were stranded.

Wacha allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three over four innings.

Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinals scored in the fourth when Fowler led off with a double, moved to third on a grounder to first and scored on Paul Goldschmidt's groundout to third.

St. Louis loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on an error and two singles, but Gonzalez got pinch hitter Matt Carpenter on a soft liner to shortstop, then induced a groundout from Fowler to keep it 2-1.

The Cardinals threatened again with one out in the seventh when a walk and a hit batter developed into runners on the corners. Carlos Estevez replaced Bryan Shaw and struck out Harrison Bader and pinch hitter Jose Martinez to end the inning.

--Field Level Media

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