10-run inning carries D-backs past Rockies

June 22nd, 2017

DENVER -- The D-backs' game-turning, record-setting, fourth-inning rally Wednesday night began with a two-run double that elicited businesslike fist bumps. By the end of a 10-run, nine-hit frame that led to a 16-5 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field, there was triumphant high-fiving and skipping in the dugout.
Never had the D-backs -- who saw a win streak end at seven games at Coors Field on Tuesday night -- accomplished so many runs and so many hits in a road inning. It was the first time a team had scored 10 or more runs in an inning without a homer since the Cardinals against the Cubs on July 21, 2012, and the first to accomplish the feat on the road since the Phillies on Sept. 17, 2005.
"This was really nice," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "It was a 10-run fourth. It was a number of quality at-bats. But the key is that these guys made that happen. They went out after a really tough night last night and we were all still smarting from it and these guys came out and executed a really good game plan. I think they saw Hoffman once, [then] they made some adjustments in their second go-around and you could see what happened."
Drury's double came with the count full against Rockies rookie (4-1) to give the D-backs a 3-1 lead. Chris Iannetta and also added doubles. The D-backs, who ended the Rockies' win streak at six games and dropped them a half-game behind the Dodgers for first place in the National League West, made 14 trips to the plate.

"Jeff had a tough night; our bullpen, a couple guys there had a tough night, but we'll turn the page," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "We've shown that."
D-backs starter (6-3), who had a key RBI single in the fourth, struck out eight in six innings. He yielded six hits, including ' 18th homer of the year and first in 11 days -- a leadoff shot in the second -- and 's two-run double in the fifth.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Driving the pitch that counts: Hoffman, who had given up eight earned runs in 32 innings before Wednesday night, coughed up nine in the fourth. But he had his chance. With runners at second and third, one out and a 1-0 lead, Hoffman fanned Lamb and had a full count -- with a couple of close misses -- before hanging an 83 mph slider that Drury drove along the outfield grass to left-center for the first two of his career-best six RBIs on the night.
"He made some good pitches on me, but the 2-2 [pitch] I thought was just off," Drury said. "I thought it was a good take and then he hung a breaking ball 3-2 and I put a good swing on it and got the job done."

Now, why would you want to face me? Hoffman had another chance to escape. With two down and still down, 3-1, he walked Nick Ahmed intentionally to face Walker. But like (who grounded out) and Iannetta (who doubled in a run), Walker fired at the first pitch and lashed his RBI single. Another run scored on the play on center fielder Charlie Blackmon's error.
"Before I walked up there, Torey told me if it's a first-pitch heater just hack at it, and I did," Walker said. "I got jammed pretty good, but it worked out and we got two runs out of it."

QUOTABLE
"I think it was just a big way for us to bounce back after a tough loss yesterday and put up 16 runs. I think overall it was just a good bounce-back game for the team." -- Walker
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
On his seventh-inning triple off D-backs relief pitcher , Rockies rookie was clocked at 11.07 seconds from home to third -- the eighth-fastest such trip this season and the fastest for a Rockies player since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015.

UMPIRE INJURED
Rockies reliever 's second pitch of the seventh, clocked at 97.4 mph, deflected off the hand of Iannetta and hit plate umpire Andy Fletcher in the mask. Fletcher stayed in the game after a brief delay. But after the inning, second-base umpire Ron Kulpa replaced Fletcher behind the plate, and the rest of the game was worked by three umpires. The Rockies announced that Fletcher "is being evaluated under MLB's concussion protocol and will not work [Thursday afternoon's] game."

WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: gets the start Thursday afternoon at 12:10 p.m. MST as the D-backs wrap up a three-game series with the Rockies at Coors Field. The game also will conclude a three-city, eight-game road trip.
Rockies: will start for the Rockies in Thursday's series finale at 1:10 p.m. MT. Senzatela is making his first career start against the D-backs. The Rockies have won all six of Senzatela's starts against the NL West. The contest concludes a seven-game homestand.
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