PHOENIX (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth, Antonio Senzatela threw seven quality innings and the Colorado Rockies rallied for a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
McMahon drilled a high fastball from Ian Kennedy (4-5) into the left-center seats for the game-deciding drive. The hard liner left the ballpark in a hurry, just clearing the wall to the left of the 413-foot sign. It was his 10th homer of the season.
The Rockies rallied twice from one-run deficits in the late innings. Colorado rookie Elehuris Montero hit the first homer of his big league career to tie it 2-all in the eighth.
Senzatela gave up two runs on nine hits over seven innings, striking out two and walking none. Carlos Estévez (3-4) worked a scoreless eighth, and Daniel Bard handled the ninth for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly — the NL pitcher of the month in July — kept his momentum going into August, giving up two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked one.
The right-hander extended his scoreless streak to 21 innings until the Rockies broke through in the seventh when Randal Grichuk’s single brought home C.J. Cron, tying the game 1-all.
The Diamondbacks answered quickly in the bottom half when Daulton Varsho, the leadoff hitter, smoked Senzatela’s first pitch into the right-field seats for a 2-1 lead. It was his second homer in two days.
That set the stage for the solo homers from Montero and McMahon. It was a nice comeback for the struggling Rockies, who are 5-12 since the All-Star break.
Arizona scored in the first on an RBI single by Christian Walker.
BEER BLOOPERS
The D-backs blew a good scoring opportunity in the fifth inning when Seth Beer had a rough baserunning miscue.
With one out and runners on second and third, Josh Rojas sent a soft liner to right field that was right at Colorado's Charlie Blackmon. Beer was the runner at third, took a few steps toward home on contact, went back to tag at third, then stumbled as he left the bag. He kept running anyway, lumbering home as the crowd groaned.
Blackmon threw him out easily, ending the inning.
UP NEXT
The finale of the three-game series is Sunday. The Diamondbacks will start RHP Zach Davies (2-4, 4.28 ERA). The Rockies counter with RHP Jose Urena (1-3, 4.66).
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