Hunter Goodman took his bat to the Rockies’ infamous streak and shattered it with one big swing.
The catcher lined a one-out home run to left in the eighth inning, leading the Rockies to a 3-2 victory over the Marlins on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park.
Combined with their 6-4 victory on Monday night, the Rockies claimed their first series win of the season. Colorado had lost its previous 19 series and 22 straight dating back to September of last season. That’s the longest series losing streak in major league history.
“That was big-time for the boys, to get that first series win,” manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Miami. “Who would have known it wouldn’t come till June? But the time is now. I’m happy for them.”‘
Goodman, the club’s most consistent hitter all season, put a big smile on his teammates’ faces. He hit right-handed reliever Anthony Bender’s 2-1 sweeper for his team-high 10th homer of the season.
“He’s just raking, and when he’s hot, he’s one of the best hitters in the game,” center fielder Brenton Doyle told Rockies.TV in Miami. “What you’re seeing right now, it seems like it’s 105 (mph) or 110 off his bat every night. I hope he keeps it up. He’s one of my good buddies and that was awesome.”
While his teammates have struggled on the road, Goodman has hit .292 with an .870 OPS and has driven in 20 of Colorado’s 82 runs away from Coors Field. Goodman hit two home runs in Colorado’s victory on Monday night.
The Rockies — 11-50 and still on pace for the worst record in big-league history — won back-to-back games for just the second time this season. Their bullpen nailed down the victory, shutting out Miami for six innings. Combined with four shutout innings on Monday, Colorado relievers blanked the Marlins for 10 consecutive frames.
Right-hander Seth Halvorsen got the save, but he had to sweat out the final out. Heriberto Hernandez ripped Halvorsen’s 1-1 slider 402 feet, and the ball came off Hernandez’s bat at 105.9 mph. But Doyle, the two-time Gold Glover, made a leaping catch at the wall to clinch the victory.
“I’m not going to lie. Off the bat, I thought that was a homer, ” Schaeffer said. “But it wasn’t, so it’s all good. It’s the best having (Doyle) in center field.”
Colorado tied the game, 2-2, in the fifth off Miami right-hander Sandy Alcantara, combining a one-out walk by Mickey Moniak, an infield single by Tyler Freeman, an RBI single to right by Jordan Beck, and a sacrifice fly to left by Thairo Estrada. Freeman hit 3 for 4, lifting his average to .280.
Starter Chase Dollander’s return to the rotation was short and not very sweet. Lacking command, the rookie right-hander needed 59 pitches to get through three innings and threw just 28 strikes. He needed 33 pitches in the third.
He issued three free passes, and the Marlins turned them into two runs. In the third, Dollander walked leadoff hitter Nick Fortes (the No. 8 hitter) and then walked Javier Sanoja (No. 9), setting the table for Jesus Sanchez’s RBI single to right. Kyle Stowers hit a two-out single to center to score Sanchez, giving Miami a 2-0 lead.
“I saw him out of rhythm a little bit, maybe a little amped up,” Schaeffer said, referring to Dollander’s struggles. “He had 33 pitches in the final inning, and I just wanted to take care of him coming off the (injured list).
Dollander came off the 15-day IL Tuesday after recovering from right forearm tightness. Dollander felt cramping in his forearm during the first inning of his start on May 18 against Arizona. He held the Diamondbacks to one run over 4 2/3 innings but threw 98 pitches. The Rockies said they put Dollander on the IL as a precaution and said his setback was not serious.
Tovar sidelined. Gold Glove shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is injured again, leaving the Rockies crossing their fingers that it’s not a serious injury that will land Tovar back on the injured list.
Tovar left in the eighth inning of the Rockies’ win over the Marlins on Monday night with left oblique soreness. Schaffer told reporters that Tovar would be held out of the final two games against the Marlins. The Rockies are hopeful that Thursday’s off day will give the shortstop a chance to heal.
“He did it after his second at-bat — it started small and started progressing,” Schaeffer told MLB.com. “(Precaution) is what it was for me last night — getting him out of the game. As I understand, obliques are serious things.”
Tovar is undergoing treatment and being evaluated, Schaeffer said.
The 23-year-old, a reigning National League Gold Glove winner, has already missed a month of playing time with a bruised left hip. He returned on May 16 and hit .306 with three homers and six RBI in 16 games.
Wednesday’s pitching matchup
Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-8, 5.72 ERA) at Marlins RHP Cal Quantrill (3-5, 5.84)
10:10 a.m. Wednesday, loanDepot Park
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
Trending: Colorado has found rare success in south Florida this week. After winning the first two games of the series, the Rockies are now 14-28 all-time at loanDepot Park (since 2012). They had lost four straight at the venue prior to Monday.
Pitching probables
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Mets RHP Kodai Senga (6-3, 1.60) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (1-10, 7.14), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Mets RHP Clay Holmes (6-3, 3.07) at Rockies LHP Carson Palmquist (0-4, 8.50), 7:40 p.m.
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