Rockies catcher Elias Diaz hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth to beat the Los Angeles Angels, 7-4, at Coors Field on Friday evening.
With the Rockies down by a run, Diaz flipped his bat as he stared at his team’s bench after crushing the ball into center field for the team’s first grand slam since 2021, snapping a dreadful eight-game losing streak.
“It just happened,” Diaz said. “I (had) a good swing on that pitch and was just doing my job.”
In the sixth, the Rockies were down 4-3 with the bases loaded when Diaz grounded out to third. When he stepped into the batter’s box in a similar situation in the eighth, Diaz was determined to deliver. He did.
“We haven’t had a grand slam in a long time,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “We were due for (a big hit). Hopefully, there’s more to come.”
Diaz and first baseman Elehuris Montero combined for six of Colorado’s 15 hits. Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar recorded a pair of hits, including an RBI single in the sixth inning.
Angels star Shohei Ohtani didn’t disappoint. He recorded three hits, including a home run, as the designated hitter was a triple away from completing the cycle.
Ohtani, arguably the best player in the game, had everyone star-struck in the fifth inning. With the game tied at two, he smashed his 25th homer of the season into the Rockies’ bullpen. Center fielder Mike Trout followed with his 16th long ball to take a 4-2 advantage.
But the Angels’ bullpen couldn’t maintain the lead.
Colorado starter Kyle Freeland allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out three batters in a no decision. He threw two consecutive scoreless innings before giving up back-to-back home runs in the fifth.
“You’ve got to be careful with (Ohtani and Trout),” Freeland said. “The pitch Ohtani hit is a pitch that only one human being on this planet has any business swinging, and that’s him.”
Rockies reliever Justin Lawrence recorded two strikeouts in the ninth to earn the save.
Both teams were clicking offensively in the early innings. Colorado recorded two hits in the first, including a leadoff home run from left fielder Jurickson Profar to take a 1-0 lead.
The Angels quickly responded in the second. Los Angeles first baseman Kevin Padlo hit a double to left-center. Padlo advanced to third while right fielder Hunter Renfroe scored after Profar fumbled the ball in the outfield. Third baseman Luis Rengifo gave the Angels a 2-1 advantage after driving home Padlo on a sacrifice fly.
Colorado tied the game at two when second baseman Coco Montes belted an RBI single to center in the bottom half.
“If you put the ball in play, a lot of good things can happen,” Black said.
