ANAHEIM -- Three home runs solved a lot of problems for the Rockies on Tuesday night. Trading defensive drama for offensive power, the Rockies used a four-run eruption in the fourth inning to secure an 8-2 win and wash away the sting of Monday’s error-filled series opener against the Angels -- a game the Rockies won despite committing four defensive miscues.
The early production backed a steady performance from starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano and provided a clear contrast to Monday's contest.
Before the game, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer expressed confidence in his defense, emphasizing that mistakes from the previous night were behind them. The lineup responded immediately, establishing an early lead and maintaining control behind Sugano’s five frames on the mound.
"They're professionals, they're adults," Schaeffer said postgame. "They know when they're not up to par and when they need to turn things around."
That turnaround materialized quickly, shifting the energy inside a quieted Angel Stadium. Colorado's offensive response began in the second inning against Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez, sparked by a solo home run from Hunter Goodman — his 15th of the season, most among all MLB catchers.
After a throwing error allowed Troy Johnston to score and an Edouard Julien single pushed the early margin to 3-0, the lineup delivered its definitive blow two frames later.
With two outs in the fourth, the Rockies sent eight batters to the plate to completely break the game open. Consecutive singles from Kyle Karros and Julien kept the line moving before Jake McCarthy drove home a run with a line-drive single. Willi Castro followed by launching a three-run home run deep into the right-field seats.
On the very next pitch, TJ Rumfield completed uprising with a solo shot to right-center field that deflected off right fielder Jo Adell's glove and head before clearing the fence -- chasing Rodriguez from the game and pushing the advantage to 8-0. Though Schaeffer admitted he couldn't see the unique bounce clearly from the dugout, he credited the relentless nature of the rally.
"All five of those runs in the fourth were with two outs," Schaeffer said. "The first two guys got out and then we scored five after that. I mean, that's a sign of just never giving in at-bats. And that's the way [hitting coach] Brett Pill teaches these guys."
That margin provided more than enough stability for Sugano, who leaned heavily on his splitter to pitch through traffic and keep the Angels' lineup off balance. The right-hander completed five innings, striking out five and scattering five hits, utilizing his splitter to generate consistent swing-and-miss.
Following a defensive switch that moved Castro to first base and inserted Chad Stevens at second, the Angels got on the board in the bottom of the fifth via a two-run double by Wade Meckler, but Sugano induced a flyout to minimize the damage.
"The split was excellent today," Schaeffer noted. "Probably not quite as pitch-efficient as he normally is ... but he fought his way back in counts, made pitches when he had to."
Sugano echoed the sentiment through interpreter Yuto Sakurai, pointing to his pregame preparation with Goodman.
"I think there was a lot of [good] hitters in the lineup today, [but the] splitters were pretty effective to them," Sugano said, while noting his desire to extend his outings moving forward. "Looking back -- it was five innings, [but] I wanted to go another."
From there, the Colorado bullpen protected the cushion with four frames of scoreless relief. Blas Castaño provided the initial bridge by throwing two perfect innings, highlighted by a sharp strikeout of Mike Trout to end the seventh.
Rookie right-hander TJ Shook then made his Major League debut in the eighth, navigating a one-out double to induce an inning-ending, unassisted double play from Stevens, before Juan Mejia secured the final three outs in the ninth.
The victory marked the first time Colorado has secured back-to-back series wins since Aug. 11-17, 2025.