August 29th 2024.
It was quite an eventful afternoon at Coors Field where the Colorado Rockies and the Miami Marlins went head to head in a four-game series. The game was full of action, with a total of twenty runs, thirty hits, five homers, and a thrilling two hours and fifty-eight minutes of baseball. Some even joked that it felt more like a game of pinball than baseball due to the high-scoring nature of the game.
In the end, it was the Marlins who emerged victorious with a 12-8 win, salvaging a split in the series against the two worst teams in the National League. The Rockies put on a hit parade, but unfortunately, their efforts were not enough to overcome their struggles with pitching.
One of the standout performances came from center fielder Brenton Doyle, who fell just short of hitting for the cycle. He hit a double in the second inning, a solo homer in the third, and an RBI single in the sixth. He also drew a walk in his final at-bat in the ninth. It's worth noting that Doyle has been on a hot streak since July 1st, hitting 15 of his 22 home runs during that time.
Ezequiel Tovar, the shortstop for the Rockies, also had a memorable game. He hit his 40th double of the season, making him the first Rockies player to achieve this feat since Charlie Blackmon in 2019. Tovar also became just the second Colorado shortstop to hit 40 doubles in a season, joining Trevor Story who did it in 2018.
Second baseman Brendan Rodgers also had a strong showing, hitting two solo homers in the third and fourth innings, and adding an infield single in the sixth. This was Rodgers' second multi-homer game of the season, and he now has a total of 12 home runs. After the game, Rodgers mentioned that he felt well-rested after the team's day off and was able to put some good swings on the ball.
Interestingly, Rodgers' first multi-homer game was against the Marlins at Coors Field on June 1, 2022. It was a three-homer game that included a walk-off home run in the 10th inning. The Rockies certainly had some strong offensive performances, but the Marlins were able to capitalize on their struggles with pitching.
Rookie starter Bradley Blalock had a tough outing, giving up seven runs in just four innings. Noah Davis, the long reliever, also struggled, giving up four runs on four hits in just 1 2/3 innings. On the other hand, the Marlins' Derek Hill had a fantastic game, going 3-for-6 with two homers and three RBIs. The Marlins ended up with a season-high of 18 hits.
Blalock acknowledged his struggles after the game, saying that his plan didn't go as expected and that the Marlins' hitters deserve credit for their performance. The rookie had a solid 3.06 ERA coming into the game, but it ballooned to 4.98 after his outing. Manager Bud Black also recognized that Blalock is still learning the difference between facing major league hitters and minor league hitters, and the importance of every pitch.
Hill's leadoff homer in the second inning and an RBI single from Kyle Stowers in the third gave the Marlins an early lead. But it was a messy fourth inning that sealed the Rockies' fate. The Marlins sent nine batters to the plate, stole a base, and scored a run on an error by third baseman Ryan McMahon. Blalock was ultimately pulled from the game after giving up nine hits, including two homers and two doubles, striking out three and walking one.
Miami's Jesus Tinoco, who was once part of the Rockies' 2015 trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto, pitched 2 1/3 innings and earned his first career win. The Rockies will have a chance to bounce back in their upcoming series against the Orioles, with lefty Austin Gomber taking the mound on Friday night.
Gomber has already faced every team in the majors except for the Orioles, Blue Jays, and White Sox, and he'll check off another team on his list in Friday's game. He's had a decent season with three quality starts in his last five games, but his last outing against the Mets was a rough one, giving up five runs in just three innings.
The pitching matchups for the rest of the series are still to be announced, but the Orioles are expected to put up a good fight against the Rockies' Ryan Feltner and Cal Quantrill. It's sure to be an exciting series, so make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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