Tomas’ grand slam powers Diamondbacks past Rockies, 12-9

Tyler Anderson was hit uncharacteristically hard Monday night, allowing six runs (five earned) in 4.1 innings pitched, but the Rockies were able to post three consecutive innings with three runs scored – the fourth, fifth and sixth – to chase Shelby Miller and Edwin Escobar and take a 9-6 lead over last-place Arizona. Drury homered in the fifth to give the Diamondbacks a 7-4 lead, and Paul Goldschmidt had three hits, scored three runs and stole his 25th base in support of winning pitcher Robbie Ray (8-13). Jean Segura homered twice and Brandon Drury added his second homer in two nights. Hoffman has served up at least one homer in each start and hasn’t fanned more than three batters.De La Rosa is making his second start after missing more than three months with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

The D-backs leveled the season series and closed the runs gap with 12-9 and 11-4 victories in the first two games of the series, their second straight September series win against the Rockies. Colorado’s 15 hits included four for Gonzalez and three for Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon.

“The first inning was like getting punched in the nose there, and we battled after that”, Hale said. “But you have to keep them from scoring, too”. Randy Johnson (five times), Dan Haren (two times) and Curt Schilling (two times) have reached that total – all in multiple seasons. He lasted 2 2/3 innings Thursday in a 14-1 loss at San Diego, giving up six hits and seven runs (zero earned).

“I knew I was close”. It’s a huge accomplishment. Furthermore, Ray is only the 15th lefty in Major League Baseball to hit the 200-strikeout mark before their 25th birthday.

“To be mentioned in the same group with those guys is very humbling”.

Colorado posted three-run rallies in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for a 9-6 lead, knocking Miller out after five innings. He averages 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings, second in the majors among qualifiers behind Miami’s Jose Fernandez (12.8).Segura and Goldschmidt scored three runs apiece, and with 14 homers Segura set a season high.

In the top of the fifth, Blackmon mashed a Robbie Ray offering over the right center field fence for his 26th home run of the season. The, the bottom of the sixth inning (and the seventh inning) happened in Arizona.

I’m reminded of Scherzer, another guy who used to get into trouble (and still does at times) when he simply tries to throw his fastball past hitters. “A jam shot, a couple of ground balls, all of which were possible outs but just didn’t fall my way”. Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado added three hits apiece for the Rockies (69-75), who had won three of five. The Brooklyn Robins had 13 consecutive games of double-digit hits against the Philadelphia Phillies in 1930, according to STATS LLC. Arizona C Chris Herrmann underwent surgery to fix two fractured metacarpals in his left hand Tuesday.

De La Rosa (4-5, 4.17 ERA) was successful against the Rockies the only other time he faced them this year.

Hoffman, who made a quality start at Washington in his second career start August 26, is 0-3 with a 5.60 ERA. He pitched only two innings in his last start, as he was on a pitch count having just come off the 60-day disabled list.