Colorado Rockies needed some help from Kyle Karros in the eighth inning and got it. Karros' three-run home run lifted the Rockies to a 7-6 win over San Francisco Giants.
Well, it was a hot day at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon, but Kyle Karros sent those Colorado Rockies fans home, and into some air conditioning, happy.
Karros slammed a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, lifting the Rockies to 7-6, come-from-behind victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Not only did the win secure a series victory over the Giants, but it also marked the 23rd time this season that Colorado rallied from behind to get a victory.
Giants Ambush Rockies' Gordon
The Giants ambushed Rockies starter Tanner Gordon for four home runs, including two solo blasts from Rafael Devers. Devers now has 18 home runs this season. Drew Gilbert's two-run blast and Casey Schmitt's solo home run rounded out the longball contest between Giants players.
Gordon went five innings, giving up six hits, five earned runs, walked two, and struck out seven. Of course, those home runs counted against him, too.
The Rockies entered the bottom of the eighth down 6-4 and reliever Dylan Smith entered the game for Giants manager Tony Vitello. Smith struck out Hunter Goodman for the inning's first out, but things changed quickly.
With the infielders swung around to the right, Colorado's TJ Rumfield hit a grounder that rolled just inside the third-base line and ended up giving him a double. Smith then hit Troy Johnston with a pitch, putting runners at first and second base. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer subbed Braxton Fulford into the game for Johnston.
After getting ahead of Smith on the ball-strike count, Karros connected for his seventh home run this season. The ball easily cleared the left-center field wall at Coors Field, setting off a wild celebration among Rockies fans in attendance.
Vodnik Gets the Win in Relief
Colorado reliever Victor Vodnik, the fourth Rockies pitcher used in the game, picked up the victory with one inning of work. Vodnik did allow a base hit and walked one, but also recorded two strikeouts. Jordan Romano came on in the ninth and set the Giants down for his fifth save overall this season.
The Giants' Smith not only picked up his first blown save this season, but he also took the loss to go to 0-1 overall. Tyler Mahle got the start for San Francisco and he went 4.2 innings, giving up eight hits, four runs (three earned), didn't walk a batter, and struck out five.
While Colorado got a series win over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, business will pick up for the Rockies as they head out on the road. On Monday night, they'll open a three-game series against the back-to-back defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rockies, then, will visit Oracle Park for a three-game series against the Giants in their home ballpark.
It might be a tough assignment for the Rockies to win a game or, well, even two against the Dodgers. Still, there's another opportunity for Colorado to gain some ground on San Francisco in their tug-of-war over fourth place in the National League West Division.
The Rockies moved back to one game behind the Giants for fourth place. Both teams have 36 wins overall, yet Colorada has two more losses.
Let's see if this picture changes in the coming days.
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