Rockies rally for 6-4 win to snap 5-game skid, send Diamondbacks to 10th loss in 12 games

Updated Aug. 15, 2023 12:21 a.m. ET

Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Nolan Jones singled in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Monday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Charlie Blackmon, Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon opened the eighth inning with singles to load the bases against Joe Mantiply (1-1), the third Arizona pitcher. Scott McGough entered and retired Elias Diaz on a liner to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo before Brandon Rodgers’ two-run single tied the score and sent McMahon to third.

Jones followed with his go-ahead single to center for a 5-4 lead, and pinch-hitter Alan Trejo greeted Kyle Nelson with a single to drive in Rodgers. The Rockies had six singles in the inning.

“I think hitting kind of breeds hitting,” Blackmon said. “Seeing good events happen kind of puts you in the mindset of ‘I’m going to have a good at-bat because my teammate did.'"

Matt Koch (2-0) struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth and Justin Lawrence struck out the side in the ninth for his 10th save in 14 chances

Christian Walker hit his 25th homer and drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks, who have lost 10 of their last 12 games. Merrill Kelly gave up two solo homers and struck out 11 in six innings.

“Chalk it up to us not scoring late or them fighting tooth and nail to scratch some runs across,” Walker said. “We're priding ourselves in staying the future. The moment we have right now. The trends are the trends. It's easy to get caught up in the negative stuff like this. Baseball is a roller coaster. It's about lengthening the good parts and shortening the not-so-good parts. We're being tested on how short we can make this funk.”

Walker’s 382-foot two-run homer in the sixth gave the Diamondbacks a 4-1 lead, but that was the last hit by Arizona, which entered after winning two in a row against San Diego.

Arizona, which the NL West for 66 days before falling out of first place on July 13, fell 3 1/2 games out of a wild card berth.

“We execute a little bit better in the bottom of the eighth inning in a couple of different ways, I don't think we allow four runs, and that's the difference in the game,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

Elehuris Montero homered to pull the Rockies to 2-1 in the fifth and Tovar, who had three hits, had a solo shot to cut Colorado's deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth.

Blackmon was 2 for 3 with a walk in his first game after missing 51 games with a fractured right hand.

“You feel better, right, when guys like Charlie are active on the team and in the clubhouse,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.

Arizona opened the scoring with Walker’s two-out double in the first inning off Chris Flexen after Corbin Carroll opened the game with a walk. Alek Thomas and Gabriel Moreno hit back-to-back doubles with one out in the second inning for a 2-0 lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Zach Davies (back) is to throw 85 pitches in a second rehab start at Triple-A Reno on Tuesday and could return to the rotation after that, Lovullo said. He has been out since July 18. ... 3B Evan Longoria (back) took ground balls and did running drills at the minor league complex Monday, a first since he was placed on the injured list July 29. ... OF Kyle Lewis was promoted from Triple-A Reno and OF Jake McCarthy was optioned Monday.

Rockies: OF Kris Bryant (left index finger) is to remain in a splint for “a couple more weeks,” Black said, after a Monday X-ray showed the finger is healing but the fracture remains. “He’ll play again this year,” Black said. “Definitely.” ... Jurickson Profar (left knee soreness) was held out of the lineup Monday after leaving the 8-3 loss to the Dodgers in the second inning Sunday when he ran into a wall to catch Mookie Betts’ line drive. Profar did not need an MRI, Black said. ... RHP Chase Anderson (shoulder) and RHP Ryan Feltner (fractured skull) are to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday and are scheduled to face hitters Saturday.

UP NEXT

Rockies LHP Ty Blach (1-1, 4.22 ERA) will make his fifth start since returning to the rotation July 23. The Diamondbacks have not announced a starter.

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