The Sports Xchange
Aug 5, 2017
DENVER -- DJ LeMahieu bounced a single into right field with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night, helping the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 comeback win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Luis Garcia (1-3) began the eighth by walking pinch-hitter Pat Valaika, who took second on catcher Cameron Rupp's passed ball. With two outs, Garcia intentionally walked left-handed hitting Charlie Blackmon to get to LeMahieu, a right-handed hitter.
LeMahieu singled on an 0-1 fastball, sending the Phillies to their major league-leading 28th one-run loss. It was also their fourth straight setback on their current eight-game road trip.
Mike Dunn (4-1) worked 1 1/3 innings, and Greg Holland earned his 34th save in 35 opportunities as the Rockies weathered the loss of starter Kyle Freeland. He left the game while facing his third batter in the first, departing after throwing 11 pitches due to an undisclosed injury.
Nolan Arenado tied the game at 3 when he hit his 25th homer with one out in the seventh. It was the third homer in eight games for Arenado.
The Phillies took a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Cesar Hernandez led off with a double and took third on Freddy Galvis' slow chopper to shortstop. With the infield drawn in, Aaron Altherr lined a one-out single off the glove of shortstop Alexi Amarista.
The Phillies struck for two runs in the sixth to tie the game at 2.
Altherr led off with a single and scored on Nick Williams' third straight hit, a one-out double. Maikel Franco followed with a triple to right-center.
Antonio Senzatela retired Odubel Herrera on a swinging bunt but walked Rupp. Scott Oberg came on to face pinch hitter Hyun Soo Kim got him to ground into a force play on the first pitch.
After a shaky first, Phillies starter Vince Velasquez managed to pitch five innings. He gave up two runs on three hits with a career-high six walks, four strikeouts and one hit batter. Velasquez got through the final four scoreless innings on 60 pitches after a 36-pitch first that included just 18 strikes.
Carlos Gonzalez found a hole in the Phillies' shift and grounded a two-run single to right with two outs in the first after Velasquez walked the bases loaded. In addition to Gonzalez's single, Velasquez yielded two doubles over the balance of his start, stranding eight baserunners in the outing.
The Phillies loaded the bases with no outs in the second on singles by Williams, Franco and Herrera, the latter's a bunt hit. Chris Rusin, who relieved Freeland, escaped as Rupp struck out, Velasquez popped out and Hernandez bounced into a force out.
Freeland left the game after giving up a leadoff single to Hernandez and striking out Galvis as Hernandez stole second. But Freeland left with the count 0-2 on Altherr. The last pitch was a slider, and Freeland grimaced after throwing it.
Rusin pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings with no walks and five strikeouts, throwing a season-high 58 pitches before giving way to Senzatela.
NOTES: Phillies RHP Ricardo Pinto and C Jorge Alfaro were recalled from Lehigh Valley, and IF Ty Kelley and RHP Jake Thompson were optioned to the Triple-A team. ... Phillies C Andrew Knapp had X-rays on his right hand that were negative. He's listed as day-to-day after getting struck on the back of the hand with a foul tip Thursday night. ... Rockies LHP Jake McGee (mid-back strain) threw a bullpen session and could be reinstated Sunday. ... Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (testicular cancer) will make another rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque in five or six days.