Rockies’ Senzatela replaces injured starter, hits RBI double
MIAMI (AP) Antonio Senzatela was ready when his name was unexpectedly called.
Senzatela entered for injured starter Tyler Anderson, hit an RBI double and allowed one hit over 3 2/3 innings to lift the Colorado Rockies over the Miami Marlins 1-0 Friday night.
''I feel really proud because I think the team needed me right there,'' Senzatela said. ''I just tried to throw good pitches, make the game close, and when I got to bat, I just said, `OK I need a base hit right here. We need to score,' and I did. I felt really good about that.''
Senzatela (2-1) entered with one out and one on in the second after Anderson left with a heartbeat issue. Senzatela struck out four and walked one, departing after 62 pitches.
''He did a nice job,'' Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ''Came in and threw strikes and he got the game to the back of their bullpen, where they want to be.''
Senzatela became the first relief pitcher with the win and RBI in a 1-0 game since Joe Niekro's 17th-inning, game-ending single for Houston against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 23, 1980.
''That's such a tough role to come in, second inning, the phone rings, and, `Hey you're in the game,''' Rockies manager Bud Black said.
Anderson initially showed discomfort when warming up before the second inning but persuaded Black to leave him in the game. He was removed later in the inning.
''For some reason in between innings I felt a little tweak, so I was a little cautious, but then I made my warmup pitches and I was totally fine,'' Anderson said. ''As the inning went on everything was fine, no problems, and then all of a sudden I just got really, really light-headed and I felt like I was about to pass out or something, so I waited and tried to step off and catch my breath. I felt like I couldn't and so I got back on and tried to deliver a pitch and just felt like I was still going too fast. Then I stepped off and I was having a hard time catching my breath. Then I came out.''
Anderson says it was the first time he has an issue like this.
''I wanted to stay in, I felt like I was OK,'' Anderson said. ''For some reason my breath I couldn't catch, something happened, some kind of response, but I felt like I was OK. Physically I was actually OK so I wanted to stay in there, but of course they don't play around with anything like that.''
Black received positive feedback from the Rockies' medical staff.
''Tyler feels good,'' Black said. ''I think the heartbeat issue resolved itself. I just spoke to him. He says he's fine. He was checked out by a couple different doctors over the last couple of hours and he's fine to the point where he's told me he wants to go in the bullpen tomorrow and help the team.''
Bryan Shaw pitched the sixth, Jake McGee got two out and Adam Ottavino four. Wade Davis allowed Derek Dietrich's leadoff double in the ninth, threw called third strikes past Miguel Rojas and Lewis Brinson, then walked J.B. Shuck before J.T. Realmuto hit into a game-ending forceout. Davis, who has 10 saves in 11 chances, completed a six-hitter that extended Colorado's winning streak to three.
Gerardo Parra had two hits for the Rockies, including a one-out double in the fifth off Jose Urena (0-4). Senzatela pulled a 95 mph fastball down the left-field line for his fifth big league hit and second double in two seasons. He has six RBIs.
''I just go out swinging,'' Senzatela said. ''They throw something there, I'm going to hit it or maybe not.''
Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu left after 3 1/2 innings because of right hamstring tightness sustained when hitting a double in the third.
''It felt like a cramp just before I was about to slide,'' LeMahieu said. ''It feels all right right now so, hopefully, it feels good tomorrow.''
Miami's Martin Prado went 0 for 4 in his season debut after missing the first 24 games with a left hamstring strain. Last-place Miami dropped to 7-18.
Urena allowed six hits in seven innings. He is 0-5 in eight starts since beating the New York Mets on Sept. 20.
''I tried to attack the hitters,'' Urena said. ''Everything was working. I tried to throw both sides of the plate. That was the key.''
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP German Marquez (1-2, 6.14 ERA), slated to start Saturday, allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Cubs last weekend. Miami LHP Caleb Smith (0-3, 5.82) is seeking his first major league win.
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