Tovar's single in 12th gives Rockies 9-8 win, extending Red Sox skid to 4
Tue, Jul 23, 2024
MLB News (AP)
DENVER (AP) - Ezequiel Tovar singled home the winning run with the bases loaded and two outs in the 12th inning Monday night to give the Colorado Rockies a 9-8 victory over Boston, handing the Red Sox their fourth straight defeat since the All-Star break.
Jake Cave singled to drive in Brendan Rodgers with the tying run with no outs in the 12th off rookie Bailey Horn (0-1), who was making his fifth major league appearance.
Jacob Stallings was intentionally walked to bring up Sam Hilliard, who sacrificed the runners up a base. After Aaron Schunk was intentionally walked, Horn struck out Charlie Blackmon before being replaced by Chase Anderson.
Tovar had three hits to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Blackmon had two hits, including his seventh homer, and the last-place Rockies won for the fourth time in five games.
Wilyer Abreu's two-out RBI single in the top of the 12th gave Boston an 8-7 lead. The Red Sox are playing without closer Kenley Jansen, who will miss the series because of health concerns related to the Denver altitude.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora was ejected after the 11th inning.
Boston grounded into double plays in the eighth, ninth and 11th, the first two ending an inning.
Pinch-hitter Dominic Smith doubled in the first run and Rafael Devers added a sacrifice fly in Boston's two-run 10th for a 7-5 lead, but Hilliard tied the game on a 450-foot, two-run homer with one out in the bottom half off Zack Kelly.
Tyler O'Neill had three hits for the Red Sox, who were swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend but are 29-21 on the road, the third-best record in the majors.
Boston starter Tanner Houck gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings. He entered with a 2.54 ERA, fourth-lowest in the majors.
The Rockies got five straight hits off Houck, two that didn't leave the infield, to break a tie with a four-run third inning. Schunk singled off the third base bag before Blackmon hit a 2-1 slider for his seventh homer.
Tovar beat out a dribbler down the third base line that Houck fielded but had no play. Brenton Doyle doubled in Tovar and scored on Michael Toglia's single for a 4-0 lead.
Jamie Westbrook hit a three-run homer on a knuckle curve from Austin Gomber with two outs in the fifth, and the Red Sox tied it at 4 after Jarren Duran's major league-leading 11th triple and Rob Refsnyder's single. Westbrook is in his 11th pro season, his first in the majors.
Gomber gave up four runs and six hits, five in the fifth. He struck out five and walked one in 5 2/3 innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Jansen did not accompany the team to Colorado for health reasons. Doctors had to "shock" his heart back into rhythm the last three times he played in Denver, most recently in 2022, Jansen said Sunday. ... SS Trevor Story (left shoulder) received a standing ovation in his return to Coors Field for the first time since signing with Boston before the 2022 season. He is expected to miss the rest of the season but said he "possibly" could return by the end of the year. ... RHP Justin Slaten (right elbow inflammation) played catch but is not expected to be activated when eligible to return Thursday.
Rockies: 1B Kris Bryant (rib contusion, oblique strain) went through a full pregame workout at Coors Field and could be activated Tuesday, manager Bud Black said. Bryant was 5 for 5 with a 384-foot homer and four singles in his last rehab game for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday. He has not played in the majors since June 2. ... C Elias Diaz (right calf strain) missed his second straight game. ... All-Star 3B Ryan McMahon (jammed finger) was held out of the starting lineup. He was injured while diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt Sunday. ... Tovar returned to the lineup after missing Sunday's game with the flu.
UP NEXT
LHP Ty Blach (3-5, 5.46 ERA) pitches Tuesday for the Rockies after scheduled starter German Marquez was placed on the injured list Monday. The Red Sox had not announced a starter.
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