Austin Gomber was fired up in the seventh.
Against the Kansas City Royals, the Rockies starting pitcher desperately needed to get out of a tough spot in order to maintain his team’s two-run advantage. With one out and runners at the corners, Gomber forced Royals second baseman Garrett Hampson to pop out and had center fielder Kyle Isbel fly out before letting out a loud scream, as he walked towards the dugout.
Gomber hasn’t earned a victory since May 15. But on Saturday night at Coors Field, he finally earned his second win of the season, helping the Rockies beat Kansas City 3-1.
Gomber gave up one run on six hits and recorded three strikeouts in seven innings on the mound. He kept the Royals scoreless for five straight innings before giving up a solo home run to first baseman Vinny Pasquantino in the sixth inning.
The Royals’ attempt at a comeback fell flat. Kansas City had runners on first and second with two outs when Colorado relief pitcher Victor Vodnik forced Michael Massey to ground out to first to end the game.
After a quiet first inning from both sides, center fielder Brenton Doyle ignited a spark in the bottom of the second. Second baseman Brendon Rodgers reached first on an error before Doyle crushed a two-run homer off Royals starter Seth Lugo.
While the Rockies jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, Gomber kept the Royals in check. He allowed a leadoff single in the first but then kept Kansas City hitless for two straight innings. The Royals, however, threatened to cut down Colorado’s lead in the fourth.
With two outs, catcher Salvador Perez singled followed by a right fielder Hunter Renfroe’s double to put runners on the second and third. Gomber remained calm and managed to get out of the jam by throwing back-to-back knuckle curveballs to strikeout left fielder MJ Melendez.
Just like the Royals, Colorado wasted an opportunity to drive in runs in the bottom half of the inning. Rodgers hit a leadoff double to center before Doyle reached first on a walk. But Lugo would eventually force right fielder Jake Cave to ground into a double play then Michael Toglia hit a grounder to first.
The Rockies managed to add to their lead in the fifth when third baseman Ryan McMahon belted an RBI single up the middle of the field. McMahon was 3 for 3 with a walk.
Lugo allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out five batters in six innings. He entered the game with a 7-0 record and a 1.93 ERA on the road this season.
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