Field Level Media
Jul 15, 2018
Trevor Story led off the bottom of the ninth with a game-winning homer, lifting the surging Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.
Story capped a rainy afternoon when he drove a 2-2 cutter from Nick Vincent (3-2)434 feet into the right-center field seats, touching off the celebratory fireworks. It was the 20th homer of the season for the All-Star shortstop and his first career game-ending homer.
Story's homer helped the Rockies head into the break with a flourish, lifting Colorado to its 10th win in 12 games and 13th win in 16 games.
The Mariners lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Seattle also fell to 38-15 in games decided by two runs or fewer and 26-12 in one-run contests.
Before the dramatic finish, both teams encountered difficulties with the wet grounds as the game was played in a steady rain.
Mitch Haniger, Denard Span and Dee Gordon produced RBI singles for the Mariners.
Nolan Arenado hit a two-run single and Chris Iannetta lifted a sacrifice fly for the Rockies, who won five of six from the Mariners in the season series.
Scott Oberg (4-0) recorded the final four outs, ending the top of the ninth with a strikeout of Gordon. Oberg entered after Bryan Shaw put two on in the eighth.
Both starting pitchers produced similar lines. Seattle's Mike Leake allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings. Colorado's Tyler Anderson allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
The Mariners opened the game with three straight singles and took a 1-0 lead on Haniger's base hit to left field. Seattle opened a 2-0 lead when Span roped a double to the gap in left-center field.
The Rockies tied the game when Arenado singled by the diving attempt of first baseman Ryon Healy to right field. DJ LeMahieu scored the first run and Charlie Blackmon scored the tying run when Haniger bobbled the wet ball.
Seattle regained the lead when Gordon singled to left field with two outs in the seventh against Jake McGee. Guillermo Heredia scored as left fielder Gerardo Parra struggled to grip the ball due to the wet conditions, and his throw was off target.
The Rockies tied the game for the second time when Ian Desmond tripled down the right field line and scored on Ianetta's fly ball that turned Span around before he secured the catch in front of the left field warning track.
--Field Level Media