Elias Diaz smacks another walk-off hit as Rockies top Cardinals

[July 05, 2021]  Elias Diaz delivered his second walk-off hit in four days as the Colorado Rockies edged the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Sunday.

Diaz hit the game-winning RBI single off Cardinals closer Alex Reyes (5-3). He drove in Joshua Fuentes, who hit a two-out single and took second on a wild pitch.

On Thursday Diaz hit the game-ending three-run home run as the Rockies defeated the Cardinals 5-2. Colorado won three of the four games in the series.

Justin Lawrence (1-0) worked the ninth inning and earned his first big-league victory.

Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez struck out 11 batters in six innings. He allowed Harrison Bader's two-run homer and four other hits.

Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez left the game after 3 1/3 innings with a bruised right thumb. He allowed one run on one hit, Trevor Story's homer.
 

Story hit his homer in the first inning, and the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on Bader's blast.

Marquez worked out of a third-inning jam. He hit Dylan Carlson and allowed Paul Goldschmidt's single before striking out Nolan Arenado and Matt Carpenter.

The Rockies threatened in the sixth inning. Raimel Tapia hit a leadoff single off Brandon Waddell, then Yonathan Daza drew a walk off Justin Miller.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) tips his cap in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

But Story grounded into an unusual double play -- with the Cardinals getting the two lead runners at third and second -- and Charlie Blackmon struck out.

With one out in the seventh inning, Ryan McMahon hit a single and Fuentes walked against Andrew Miller. Giovanny Gallegos came on to strike out Diaz and get Garrett Hampson to fly out.

The Rockies finally broke through in the eighth inning. Tapia hit a leadoff single, stole second base, moved to third on Daza's bunt and scored on Story's sacrifice fly to tie the game 2-2.

In the ninth Paul DeJong hit a one-out single off Lawrence and Andrew Knizner drew a walk, but Yadier Molina grounded into a double play.

--Field Level Media


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