Colorado Rockies: Senzatela Shines as Rockies Prevail
With 10 games to go, we figured the Colorado Rockies needed to win eight to have a shot at the postseason. After Saturday night’s win, they are down to six.
The game was Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela‘s best of the season for the Rockies. He sat down the first 14 batters he faced before a two-out, solo home run by the Diamondbacks A.J. Pollock.
Antonio would last seven, surrendering just three hits and the lone run over that time. He didn’t walk anyone and had four strikeouts. Senzatela, long known as a fastball pitcher had his breaking stuff working on Saturday night, his curveball was filthy and Arizona couldn’t overcome.
Adam Ottavino shut down the Diamondbacks easily in the eight and Wade Davis closed out the game in the ninth, the only blemish to the Rockies day on the mound being Pollock’s home run.
Offensively, the Rockies got great production from the bottom-half of the lineup with Chris Ianetta going 2-for-4 and driving in three. David Dahl and Garrett Hampson added RBI’s for the Rockies who were comfortably in-control from the time they chased D’Backs starter Patrick Corbin in the third.
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The Rockies did their part, they won to keep pace in the NL West and the NL wildcard race. The Cardinals and Dodgers won, Milwaukee lost. Colorado is 1-1/2 games back of the Dodgers in the division and also 1-1/2 back of the Cardinals for the final wild card spot.
It feels good that the team is competing but there’s still a lingering bad taste from the sweep in Los Angeles. Even if the Rockies pull off the miracle run to the division (a title that’s eluded the Rox in their 25 seasons in Denver) there are questions about the consistency of a team that relies too heavily on the arms of two of their starters (Marquez, Freeland).
Nolan Arenado shows no signs of being able to hit a baseball, the Rockies best hope for an offensive infusion will be the return of Trevor Story to the lineup. Story, out for the last two games with an elbow injury may return Sunday in the finale with the Diamondbacks.
Sunday marks the Rockies final road game of the season. They will end the season with four each against the Philadelphia Phillies, who have been eliminated from postseason contention and the Washington Nationals. Kyle Freeland will take the mound for Colorado and Zack Godley saddles-up for the Diamondbacks.
Freeland, on an unlikely Cy Young trajectory looks to continue his breakout season for Colorado.
Just win, baby.