The Colorado Rockies’ chance to sweep the Boston Red Sox fell apart instantly on Wednesday night.
The Rockies held a slim 2-1 lead when the Red Sox scored five runs in the seventh inning of a 6-3 loss after a two-hour rain delay at Fenway Park.
The fireworks began when Rockies starter Austin Gomber allowed back-to-back singles, leading to a pitching change. With reliever Brent Suter on the mound, Boston tallied three runs off shortstop Pablo Reyes’ sacrifice fly and left fielder Rob Refsnyder’s two-run triple.
Suter was out, and Peter Lambert was in, but Boston’s scoring surge continued. Red Sox third baseman Justin Turner singled in a run before right fielder Alex Verdugo’s RBI double gave Boston a four-run lead.
“We’ll take two (wins) out of three any day of the week,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters. “We were in position (to win) tonight. (Boston) just strung some hits together in the seventh.”
For the most part, the Rockies’ third game of the series was a pitching duel. Boston starter Garrett Whitlock shut down Colorado for five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and seven strikeouts. Whitlock kept the Rockies hitless for three straight innings after giving up a pair of hits in the opening frame.
The Rockies cracked the code in the sixth. Center fielder Brenton Doyle hit a leadoff single before stealing second base. After a single from right fielder Nolan Jones and a game-tying sacrifice fly from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, third baseman Ryan McMahon hit an RBI double to take a one-run advantage.
Gomber was solid, allowing three runs on six hits and five strikeouts in six innings.
“One run until the seventh inning on a night when needed the length,” Black said. “(Gomber) pitched really well.”
At one point, Doyle’s diving catch in the third was the only highlight of the evening. As Reyes belted a fly ball to center field in the third inning, Gomber turned around to see Doyle extend his body to make an incredible grab, causing the left-handed pitcher to put his hands over his head in disbelief.
The Rockies were aggressive in the first. Tovar doubled to center before third baseman Ryan McMahon knocked a base hit to right field. Tovar, however, was thrown out trying to go home. With McMahon at second, catcher Elias Diaz struck out, ruining an opportunity to put a dent in the scoreboard.
Boston made the Rockies pay. Verdugo hit an RBI single up the middle, driving home Refsnyder to take a 1-0 advantage in the bottom half of the first.
Gomber didn’t face any more trouble until the fourth inning when Verdugo hit a leadoff double. He kept Verdugo at second, forcing a pair of flyouts while striking out second baseman Christian Arroyo on a nasty curveball. In the fifth, Boston had runners on first and second when Gomber forced Turner to fly out.
“(Gomber) had a real good slider tonight, he mixed curveballs as the game went on, his fastball had life (and) the changeup came into play too,” Black said. “That’s what he is capable of when he is throwing the ball well.”
Gomber threw five straight scoreless innings before exiting the game in the seventh.
Thursday’s pitching matchup
Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-7, 3.91 ERA) at Braves RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-0, 0.00)
5:20 p.m., Truist Park
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Freeland has been solid as of late. He has allowed a combined two earned runs over his last two starts. Freeland was dominant in five innings against the San Diego Padres on June 10, allowing one run on six hits, two walks and five strikeouts. However, the left-hander earned a no decision after Colorado gave up a pair of runs in the sixth, resulting in a 3-2 loss. Smith-Shawver will be making his second start of the season after earning a no decision in a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals. The 20-year-old rookie didn’t allow a run in 5 1/3 innings.
Pitching probables
Friday: Rockies Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 10.38) at Braves LHP Jared Shuster (3-2, 5.05)
Saturday: Rockies Connor Seabold (1-2, 4.70) at Braves RHP Bryce Elder (4-1, 2.69)
Sunday: Rockies Chase Anderson (0-0, 2.72) at Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-6, 3.60)
