Rangers' Jon Gray and Rockies' Austin Gomber had an impressive pitching matchup at Coors Field on Friday. However, 37-year-old Charlie Blackmon took the spotlight.
Blackmon, a seasoned player, delivered a crucial two-run double in the eighth inning against Yerry Rodríguez, leading the Rockies to a 4-2 win and their first winning streak of the season.
By winning two games in a row — including their victory over the Giants on Thursday — the Rockies ended a streak of 51 games without back-to-back wins, which was the longest in franchise history (37 games in 2024).
Blackmon, an iconic figure for the franchise, proved to be the game-changer.
Blackmon stated, 'I'm not extremely emotional, but I enjoy succeeding in important game situations. I was really happy about that.' This was after he tied the game in the seventh inning by capitalizing on an error while sprinting from first to home.
Blackmon's double was his 598th career extra-base hit, leaving him just one short of tying Hall of Famer Larry Walker for the second-most in franchise history, following Hall of Famer Todd Helton. Blackmon has a .423 batting average with runners in scoring position this season.
Brenton Doyle initiated the winning rally with a single and a stolen base, and Jake Cave was intentionally walked before Elehuris Montero struck out for the second out.
Blackmon then stepped up and delivered the go-ahead double.
Doyle remarked, 'Charlie is the player I want my kids to watch play the game because he does it the right way and plays hard in every game.'
Gray, who pitched for the Rockies from 2015-21, made a significant return to Coors Field since joining the Rangers after the 2021 season. He pitched for six innings, allowing one run on eight hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts. His ERA decreased to 2.36, and he achieved at least seven strikeouts for the fifth time in eight starts. Over his last eight games (seven starts), he has maintained a 1.50 ERA.
Returning to Coors Field was a special experience for Gray.
Gray expressed, 'They're all positive emotions. There are certainly memories. Everywhere I look, there's a memory. It's also strange to play against some old teammates.'
He also added, 'The fans here are amazing. They're awesome, and I feel like I don't deserve half the love I receive. It makes this place enjoyable for me, and I get a good feeling being here.'
Manager Bud Black described Gomber's performance as 'outstanding.'
Black commented, 'It was a great pitching matchup. Both pitchers were impressive, and Jon has been throwing the ball well in his recent starts. He's known for his live fastball and quality slider.'
Gomber pitched 6 2/3 innings, conceding two runs (one earned) on five hits, with two walks and five strikeouts. His ERA dropped to 3.43, marking the best eight-start opening to a season in his career.
Despite Gomber's excellent game, he faced challenges in the seventh inning.
Ezequiel Duran reached on a 50-foot infield single to third baseman Ryan McMahon, and Leody Taveras reached on a two-out bunt due to a throwing error by Gomber.
Even though Gomber had only thrown 82 pitches and only needed one more out to escape, Black removed him from the game and brought in right-hander Justin Lawrence to face the right-handed hitting Marcus Semien. Black’s decision backfired because Lawrence walked Semien to load the bases and then walked Seager to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Black explained his decision after the game.
Black said, “I liked the matchup of (Lawrence) vs. Semien. Semien vs. Gomber would have been the fourth time through. … I like Lawrence facing right-handers and I didn’t want ‘Gomby’ facing Semien a fourth time.”
Gomber said he understood Black’s move.
Colorado tied the game in the bottom of the inning because of an error by Taveras in center. The Rockies’ comeback began when Blackmon drew a leadoff walk off reliever Jacob Latz. After recording two outs, Latz gave way to Grant Anderson, who coaxed Elias Diaz into a popup behind second base. Taveras rushed in to make the catch but dropped the ball, and Blackmon, running hard from first, slid home to tie the game.
The Rockies scored first. In the fifth, Ezequiel Tovar, who had a three-hit game on Thursday, hit a one-out double to left off Gray’s 1-1 slider. Gray struck out McMahon for the second out, but Diaz hit Gray’s 2-2, 93.4 mph fastball into right field to score Tovar.
Texas quickly tied the game. Corey Seager led off the sixth with a 403-foot line-drive homer to right center. He hit Gomber’s first-pitch curveball hard, sending it at 108.2 mph. Seager’s homer ended Gomber’s 14-inning scoreless streak, which started in the fifth inning of his April 28 game vs. Houston in Mexico City. It was the longest streak by a Rockies pitcher since 2021.
“It’s nice to win back-to-back games for sure because it’s something we’ve been struggling to do,” Gomber said. “I don’t know if there is one specific thing that’s been working for me. Each game it’s kind of been something different.
“I thought I had a really good curveball tonight and threw some good changeups. I’m executing pitches. I’m just throwing it where (catcher Elias Diaz) calls for it. And I’m just throwing it where I want to throw it.”
Gomber also praised the Rockies’ defense. Second baseman Brendan Rodgers made a diving stop at second to stop a Rangers’ rally in the third, and right fielder Sean Bouchard prevented Semien from getting a hit to end the fifth. In the sixth, Cave, who was playing left field, threw out Jonah Heim trying to stretch a single into a double.
Saturday’s pitching matchup
Rangers LHP Andrew Heaney (0-4, 4.50 ERA) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-3, 5.54)
6:10 p.m. Saturday, Coors Field
TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Feltner has come close to pitching a couple of gems this season, but two rough innings tripped him up. Last Sunday at Pittsburgh, he mowed down the Pirates for five innings before they scored four runs in the sixth. Feltner gave up five runs total on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts. In his previous start at Miami, he completed a career-high eight innings before stumbling in the ninth. Feltner, 2-7 with a 7.16 ERA in 15 career starts at Coors Field, has never faced the Rangers.
Heaney has a 1.38 ERA in his last two starts, reducing his overall ERA from 6.26 to 4.50. He has not given any walks in his last three starts and recently had a no-decision in the Rangers’ 4-2 win at Oakland on Monday. Heaney's record against the Rockies is 3-2 with a 3.22 ERA in six games as well as 2-1 with a 3.10 ERA in three Coors Field starts. His last game at Colorado on Sept. 13, 2020, resulted in a win with a strong seven-inning performance, giving up three runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Pitching probables
Sunday: Rangers TBA at Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-6, 6.35), 1:10 p.m.
Monday: Rockies TBA at Padres RHP Randy Vasquez (0-1, 4.50), 7:40 p.m.
Sunday: Rangers TBA at Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-6, 6.35), 1:10 p.m.
