D-backs' 6-run 8th seals series win in Colorado

Goldschmidt homers twice, while Peralta notches four hits and three RBIs

June 10th, 2018

DENVER -- Coors Field lived up to its unpredictable, no-lead-is-safe reputation on Saturday night, as the D-backs scored six in the eighth inning to rally past the Rockies, 12-7.
The 12 runs are a season high for Arizona, which has now won six of its past eight games and sealed a series win.
once again led the way offensively. After smacking two homers in the series opener Friday night, he hit two more Saturday as part of a 13-hit D-backs attack, eight of which came against Colorado's bullpen.

It looked like the Rockies were going to even the series with a 7-5 lead through six innings. The D-backs though chipped away at the lead with a run in the seventh, and Colorado manager Bud Black then decided to go with struggling reliever to start the eighth, which proved to be an ugly frame for the Rockies.
"Things just worked out for us," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "You score six runs in an inning here, you're doing some things right. Obviously, we took advantage of a couple mistakes they made. I think they compounded themselves and we took advantage of it. Nice to see, and you're right -- you get in this ballpark, and a four- or five-run lead, you're still not comfortable. You've got to keep your foot on the gas pedal. I was proud of these guys the way they fought all night tonight."

The eighth inning started innocently enough. After allowing a leadoff single to pinch-hitter John Ryan Murphy, Shaw muffed a tapper back to him from and compounded the mistake by throwing the ball down the right-field line, allowing Murphy to score the tying run.

It would only get worse for Shaw and the Rockies, as drove in a run with a single after Goldschmidt was intentionally walked to get to him, and  -- who finished with four hits and three RBIs -- and Nick Ahmed each drove in two.
"Lamb did that and then big hit by Peralta and then Nick to add on, because especially in this ballpark, we need those extra runs," Goldschmidt said. "I mean, one run is pretty much a tie game here. It's tough to shut them down, so those insurance runs were big."

For a team that went through a miserable May at the plate, the past two days, when they've scored 21 runs, have been a welcome sight, regardless of whether it's been done at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
"It's pretty good right now," Peralta said. "We're playing very well right now."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
He'll take it: Lamb's single in the eighth that gave the D-backs the lead was welcome, even if it was a grounder up the middle and not a line drive. Since coming back from the disabled list, Lamb has been hitting the ball hard, but he hasn't had much to show for it.
"Whether I'm hitting the ball good or not, any time you can come up big like that, get a run across to take the lead, it's a good feeling," Lamb said.

SOUND SMART
The D-backs have won seven straight games at Coors Field dating back to June 21, 2017, which is the longest winning streak in Denver in franchise history.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Both of Goldschmidt's home runs have some cool Statcast™ data to go with them. His first homer of the game traveled a projected 450 feet, which is the longest opposite-field homer hit by a right-handed batter since Statcast™started tracking in 2015.
His second homer had a launch angle of 46 degrees, which is tied for the highest in the Majors this year. Entering Saturday, only 16 homers tracked by Statcast™ (since 2015) had a launch angle that high. More >

HE SAID IT
"You pick up a ball that you practice probably 500 times in Spring Training, and throughout the course of the year so many more times, and you don't necessarily execute properly, and we took advantage of that. Those things happen. We've been on both sides of it. I'm glad we were able to pile six runs onto it." -- Lovullo, on Shaw's crucial throwing error
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
In the fifth inning, Rockies shortstop was ruled to have stolen second on D-backs catcher Alex Avila with one out. The D-backs, however, challenged the call, and after a review the call was overturned. It was ruled that shortstop Ahmed tagged Story just before his fingers got to the bag.

UP NEXT
The D-backs will go for a sweep of the Rockies on Sunday afternoon when they send to the mound against Colorado's at 12:10 p.m. MST. Godley is coming off one of his worst starts of the season, as he allowed seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings against the Giants last week at AT&T Park. Godley held San Francisco scoreless through three, but he could not get out of the fourth inning.