DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Madison Bumgarner in a four-run sixth inning, left fielder Raimel Tapia made a dazzling catch to thwart a rally attempt and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 on Saturday.
Bumgarner (4-4), limited to four innings on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of soreness in his midsection, allowed seven runs – five earned – and eight hits in six innings as his ERA rose to 4.53. He is 2-2 in five starts since his seven-inning no-hitter against Atlanta on April 25.
”If I just looked at the line, I would leave here pretty frustrated, and I still am to a certain extent,” said Bumgarner, no fan of hitter-friendly Coors Field. ”But if I just back up and look at how I felt I was throwing the ball, I feel pretty good about it. If it was anywhere else, other than the moon, it would be a completely different story, to be honest with you.”
The Rockies won their second straight game after a five-game skid. Arizona has lost 12 straight road games.
Colorado led 3-0 in the sixth before Arizona tied the score on Josh Reddick’s RBI double that chased Antonio Senzatela, first baseman C.J. Cron’s run-scoring fielding error on Stephen Vogt’s grounder and Josh Vanmeter’s sacrifice fly against Tyler Kinley (1-0).
Trevor Story doubled on Bumgarner’s first pitch of the bottom half. Blackmon drove the next pitch for his third homer this season, his first since May 4. Blackmon’s sixth homer off Bumgarner put the Rockies ahead 5-3 .
After consecutive doubles by Cron and Josh Fuentes, Brendan Rodgers was hit by a pitch and Garrett Hampson grounded into a run-scoring forceout. Bumgarner then threw a run-scoring wild pitch on a high offering to Elias Diaz that bounced off Vogt’s mitt and made it 7-3.
Eduardo Escobar hit a three-run homer against Yency Almonte in the seventh, Escobar’s fifth home run in eight games.
Vogt’s double and a pair of walks by Mychal Givens loaded the bases, Andrew Young pinch hit for Bumgarner, Carlos Estevez relieved and Young hit a bloop to shallow left that Tapia sprinted in for and caught with a dive.
”There was really not much of a thought process,” Tapia said through an interpreter. ”It was straight reaction. I was aggressive. I didn’t think twice. I knew I had a chance and I was lucky enough to catch it.”
Tapia grinned, showing his glove with the ball tucked inside. ”Tapia just came up clutch, man,” Estevez said. ”When he made that catch – I didn’t see the ball for a second – but as soon as I saw his smile, I was like,`OK, we’re good. We got it.”’
Daniel Bard gave up David Peralta’s leadoff double in the ninth, then struck out Reddick and Ketel Marte around Vogt’s foulout for his fifth save in eight chances.
Senzatela gave up three runs – two earned – and seven hits in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Marte was out of the starting lineup as part of a scheduled day off but pinch hit in the ninth. He returned Wednesday from a strained right hamstring that sidelined him for more than a month … Carson Kelly (left toe) has resumed catching drills and other baseball activities and is on course for a return in the coming days.
Rockies: Estevez, sidelined since early May with a strained right middle finger, was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. RHP Justin Lawrence was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Taylor Widener (1-0, 2.82 ERA) has recovered from a groin injury and is slated to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list and start Sunday’s series finale against RHP Jon Gray (4-4, 3.48 ERA), who is 4-1 with 2.00 ERA at Coors Field.