Colorado 5, Cincinnati 3
When: 8:40 PM ET, Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Temperature:
97°
Umpires:
Home -
Kerwin Danley, 1B -
Adam Hamari, 2B -
Todd Tichenor, 3B -
Bill Miller
Attendance:
32188
By The Sports Xchange
DENVER -- Colorado Rockies starter Jon Gray helped himself Wednesday night with an improbably massive home run, the first time in his career he trotted around the bases.
Lacking his good stuff, he fought his way into the sixth before four relievers had to weave through a procession of baserunners to complete Colorado's 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Gray was 7-for-66 (.106) lifetime with 41 strikeouts when he teed off on Scott Feldman's 90 mph sinker and belted it an estimated 467 feet to center field.
"You don't want to give up hits, period, to pitchers," Feldman said. "I feel like you should get the pitcher out every time. So, to pretty much lose the game on that, not a good feeling. But at the same time, I threw the ball right down the middle, and you can't really do that."
The home run was a two-out, two-run shot in the second inning. It was the longest homer hit by a Colorado player this season.
"I was kind of amazed, too," Gray said. "But I was just thinking to myself, 'Touch every base. Don't do something stupid. Just touch every base, get inside and go get the next three guys out.'"
Pat Valaika hit his sixth homer, a two-run shot in the fourth that gave the Rockies a 4-1 lead after Gray yielded a run in the top of the inning.
Valaika had a career-high three hits and drove in a third run with a two-out single in the eighth.
Closer Greg Holland struck out Arismendy Alcantara but threw a wild pitch on the third strike, allowing Alcantara to reach base to open the ninth. Holland then got speedy Billy Hamilton to ground into a double play.
Zack Cozart singled, and Joey Votto walked as Holland carefully pitched around him. Holland then lunged for Scooter Gennett's hard one-hopper, knocked the ball down and threw him out to earn his 28th save in 29 opportunities and seal just the third win in 14 games for the Rockies.
The loss was the Reds' 16th in their past 19 road games.
Gray (2-0) gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
Votto led off the fourth with a triple when left fielder Raimel Tapia misplayed the drive, which went over his head and off the wall. Gennett followed with a run-scoring single, beating the Rockies' shift and grounding the ball to the right of third baseman Nolan Arenado to trim the Rockies' lead to 2-1.
Gray yielded three consecutive singles to begin the sixth, the last a run-scoring hit by Eugenio Suarez that cut Colorado's lead to 4-2. Gray then struck out Scott Schebler and Jose Peraza before Tucker Barnhart singled to load the bases, ending the right-hander's 108-pitch outing.
"I didn't have a feel for anything, really," Gray said. "Fastballs were cutting, fading away. Slider wasn't very sharp. But we did the best we can to move locations -- go up and in, go down and away. I think that's what helped out."
Scott Oberg came on to face pinch hitter Adam Duvall and got him to ground to third, but perennial Gold Glove winner Arenado bobbled the ball for his third error, allowing a run to score and make it 4-3.
Feldman (7-6) gave up five of Colorado's six hits and four runs in five innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
"I didn't have the best stuff, fastball command tonight," Feldman said. "And it's a battle going up against a good team like that when you don't have your best stuff, your best command. Unfortunately, I gave up a couple of big hits there and lost the game. It's never a good feeling."
NOTES: The game-time temperature was 97 degrees, tied for the second hottest at the start of a game in franchise history. It was 100 degrees on June 25, 2012, when a game against Washington began. ... Reds C Devin Mesoraco (left shoulder strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Monday, and RHP Ariel Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Louisville. Hernandez pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday. ... Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu did not play for the second straight day due to a right groin soreness. ... Colorado OF/1B Gerardo Parra (right quad strain) played the entire game at first base and went 1-for-4 in his second rehab game for Triple-A Albuquerque. He could rejoin the Rockies on Friday.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
| Cincinnati |
|
Colorado |
|
Scott Feldman
|
Player |
Jon Gray
|
|
Loss |
W/L |
Win |
|
5.0 |
IP |
5.2 |
|
6 |
Strikeouts |
5 |
|
5 |
Hits |
8 |
|
7.20 |
ERA |
3.18 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
| Cincinnati
|
11 |
0 |
14 |
.297 |
26 |
9 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
| Colorado
|
6 |
2 |
12 |
.207 |
8 |
11 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
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