Charlie Culberson’s Walk-Off Two-Run Homer Earns Colorado Rockies Another Series Victory

May 1, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) and second baseman Charlie Culberson (23) celebrate after the game against the New York Mets at Coors Field. The Rockies won 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies and New York Mets had a seesaw affair Saturday night at Coors, with the Rockies walking off in the bottom of the 9th on a Charlie Culberson two-run shot. The Rockies would end up winning, 11-10; improving to 19-13 on the season.

Morales would run into trouble in the first inning after a one out triple to Daniel Murphy. David Wright would double down the left field line to plate Murphy to take the 1-0 lead. After Chris Young worked a four-pitch walk, back-up catcher Anthony Recker would single to center as Wright scored for the 2-0 lead. Lucas Duda added on with an RBI single of his own, scoring Young take a three-run lead after the first.

Morales would run into another hectic inning in the third where the Mets would plate another three runs. Curtis Granderson would record an RBI single, Anthony Recker would record a RBI double, and Ruben Tejada would plate Recker on an error from Nolan Arenado as New York took the 6-0 lead.

It was all coming together for Mets starter Jenrry Mejia when New York was leading 6-0 entering the fifth; that’s when it all fell apart. Ryan Wheeler who was taking the place at first tonight for Justin Morneau, led off the inning with a solo shot to right, trimming the lead to five. After a Jordan Pacheco single and DJ LeMahieu walk, Brandon Barnes avoided the double-play, hustling down the line to put runners on the corner for Charlie Blackmon with one out. Blackmon would record a bloop RBI single to center, scoring Pacheco while moving Barnes to third to find themselves down by four.

Drew Stubbs would follow that up with a single to left, plating Barnes while Blackmon moved to second, down 6-3. Then the big guns came up to bat, Carlos Gonzalez would single just past Daniel Murphy in the hole to right to score Blackmon as Stubbs galloped to third, down 6-4. Troy Tulowitzki would get plunked on the first pitch, bringing the kid Nolan Arenado up with the bases loaded and one out. He would extend his hitting streak to 23-games as he lifted a pitch into the bleachers in left for a gram slam, giving the Rockies an 8-6 lead in the bottom half of the fifth.

The Mets would however rally back to tie the game in the top half of the sixth as Chris Young would double off the wall in left to score Daniel Murphy as reliever Chris Martin was taken out of the game for Rex Brothers up 8-7. Rex would come in and face Curtis Granderson where he left a fastball down the middle; Grandy took advantage roping a single to center as Young scored to tie it up at eight.

The Rockies would get something going in the bottom of the seventh on Mets reliever Daisuke Matsuzaka. Troy Tulowitzki would record a milestone for his 1,000 hit of his career, receiving a standing ovation. Nolan Arenado would follow-up with a double down the left field line, moving Tulo to third with one out. Pinch-hitter Corey Dickerson would be intentionally walked for Jordan Pacheco to set-up the double-play ball. Pacheco would come through with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Tulo as the Rockies would retake the lead, 9-8.

Mets would answer back yet again as Daniel Murphy led off the inning with a double to left off Adam Ottavino. After David Wright struck out, Chris Young would hit a bloop RBI single over the head of Tulowitzki in shallow left to score Murphy to tie it up at nine apiece.

Walt Weiss would make the mistake of taking out Boone Logan in the top half of the ninth after striking out Lucas Duda, bringing in closer LaTroy Hawkins to pitch against the bottom of the lineup. Mets would elect to go with pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu in Ruben Tejada’s spot, hitting a double and would be replaced by Eric Young Jr. on second. Juan Lagares would come through with a clutch single to right, bringing in EY2 to pull the Mets ahead, 10-9.

The Rockies did the improbable in the bottom half of the ninth as Troy Tulowitzki led off the inning with a single. He would take advantage of Nolan Arenado’s fly out to center, tagging up and moving to second. Colorado would be forced to pinch-hit as Charlie Culberson came to the plate. It’s only fitting that he would send us off with a pinch-hit two-run home run to give the Rockies their fifth-straight series win and their first walk-off of the season, winning 11-10.

Notable Rockies Hitters:

• The whole lineup.

Rockies Pitchers:

• Franklin Morales: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO.
• Chris Martin: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 SO.
• Rex Brothers: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO.
• Adam Ottavino: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO.
• Boone Logan: 1.0 IP, 2 SO.
• LaTroy Hawkins (W, 1-0): 0.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB.

The Colorado Rockies (19-13) defeat the New York Mets, 11-10 — earning their fifth-straight series win. They go for the four-game sweep tomorrow afternoon as Mets send RHP Dillon Gee (2-1, 2.88 ERA) to the mound as Rockies RHP Jhoulys Chacin (season debut) makes his first start of the 2014 campaign.