Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies Match Player Stats On May 10, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 10, 2017

DENVER -- A dazzling start by Colorado Rockies rookie German Marquez summoned memories of Coors Field history on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old right-hander held the Chicago Cubs hitless until the seventh inning and drove in his first two runs with his first major league hit as the Rockies posted a 3-0 win in the rubber game of their series.

In addition to allowing three hits in a career-high eight innings, Marquez provided offense with a two-out single off Carl Edwards Jr. on an 0-2 fastball.

Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers threw the only no-hitter in Coors Field history on Sept. 17, 1996.

Marquez (1-2) held the Cubs hitless until Kris Bryant led off the seventh with a double, lining a 2-0 changeup toward the left-field corner. Marquez had retired 16 straight batters since issuing a two-out walk to Kyle Schwarber in the first.

After that hit, Marquez fielded Schwarber's comebacker. He initially looked toward second, where Bryant was scampering back to the base with a head-first slide, and wisely decided to take the sure out at first.

Marquez then struck out Jeimer Candelario and retired Miguel Montero on a grounder to second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who was positioned in short right field.

Marquez issued one walk and had a career-high-tying eight strikeouts while throwing 69 of his 99 pitches for strikes.

It was an ideal afternoon to pitch with the temperature 53 degrees and humidity at 82 percent when the game started at 2 p.m. MT after a 50-minute rain delay.

The conditions were reminiscent of the night Nomo no-hit the Rockies 9-0. That game began after a two-hour rain delay that caused the temperature to drop and the humidity to rise.

Mark Reynolds opened the seventh with a single against Kyle Hendricks (2-2). Pat Valaika singled with one out, ending Hendricks' outing. Ryan Hanigan hit a bouncer to Edwards that moved the runners into scoring position for Marquez, who was hitless in 12 career at-bats before his two-run single.

Marquez gave up consecutive one-out singles in the eighth to Tommy La Stella and pinch hitter Ben Zobrist. The runners moved into scoring position when pinch hitter Willson Contreras grounded to second but were stranded when Marquez induced Jon Jay to ground to third.

Ian Desmond's sacrifice fly brought home an unearned run in the fourth. After Nolan Arenado reached on an infield single, shortstop Javier Baez fielded a potential double-play grounder and dropped the ball and Reynolds drew a walk ahead of Desmond.

Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez robbed Hendricks of a hit in the sixth. Running toward the foul line, Gonzalez laid out for Hendricks' liner and caught the ball. An appreciative Marquez looked toward Gonzalez and thanked him by lifting his cap.

Closer Greg Holland retired the side in order in the ninth and earned his 14th save in as many chances.

NOTES: Cubs SS Addison Russell was scratched from the lineup due to right shoulder soreness. ... Rockies C Tony Wolters (concussion) took batting practice in the indoor cage for the first time since he suffered a concussion May 2. ... Cubs1B Anthony Rizzo was rested, as was Rockies SS Trevor Story. ... Cubs RHP Dylan Floro was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, two days after he was brought up from that club. 3B-1B Jeimer Candelario, who was brought up to be the 26th man on the roster for the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, was kept on the roster and was in the lineup for the second straight game batting cleanup Wednesday. ... Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman, the 26th man on the roster for Tuesday's second game, was removed from the roster.