Colorado Rockies: Arenado's throw, McMahon's snag, Iannetta's homer saves the day; Rocki

Apr 4, 2019
5 min read

(Source: MLB.com Video; Chris Iannetta for the Colorado Rockies)

Chris Iannetta’s solo home run in the Top of the 11th powered the Colorado Rockies over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon.

It was his first at-bat of the game.

Iannetta didn't start the game. He came in to play catcher in the bottom of the eighth inning.

He took Mark Reynolds' spot in the batting lineup who pinch hit for catcher Tony Wolters.

The Rockies won one to nothing.

Look at Iannetta's bat flip.

(Source: MLB.com Video; Chris Iannetta for the Colorado Rockies)

Just awesome.

But the Rockies probably shouldn’t have won.

The Rays advanced a total of 28 bases in eleven innings.

The Rockies advanced a total of 10 bases in the first five innings.

They were then shut out for the next five innings.

That’s when the Rays took over.

The Rays had advanced 3 bases in the first five innings.

Then Rays advanced five or six bases in each inning for the next four frames, depending on the inning.

In the 10th, the Rays advanced three bases.

Until Iannetta’s homer.

And then Wade Davis shut the door.

He picked up the win and the save (unofficially).

Chaz Roe gave up the game-winning homer and he took the loss.

The Rays probably should have won 7-3 if the offenses for both teams had come through perfectly.

The Rays won the series two games to one.

But really they won all three games in terms of offense.

Honestly, there’s nothing else I really need to say. But you came here for more than that.

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Trevor Story was honestly the best player on the Rockies offense on Wednesday excluding Chris Iannetta.

He singled, advancing Nolan Arenado (who walked) to second base in the first inning and walked in the fourth inning.

But he did get caught stealing shortly after walking on a strikeout ‘em out throw ‘em out double play.

Garrett Hampson also reached base twice on fielder’s choices and advanced to second base on a wild pitch in the fifth inning.

Ian Desmond, Charlie Blackmon and Raimel Tapia each had singles and all got erased and didn’t get to second base via putouts.

Other than that, the Rockies offense was shut down.

But the Rockies pitching got the job done.

None of them threw the day before, so they knew what had to be done after a poor performance by the team on Tuesday night.

German Marquez threw seven innings giving up three hits, three walks and striking out seven.

He should have given up at least three runs. Marquez did better than his first start of the season and he still has some things to improve on.

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The Rockies got out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth.

On a hard-hit, low-chopper like, double play ground ball from the Rays' Brandon Lowe taken care of by the Rockies' shortstop Trevor Story who tagged second base and threw to first baseman Ryan McMahon.

The Rays almost took a one to nothing lead in the bottom of the seventh with two outs.

Avisail Garcia on third base, Kevin Kiermaier on second base.

Willy Adames just decided to make contact.

He laid down an OK bunt to the third base side near the third base line.

He didn't try to push it.

And then it just rolled.

And rolled.

It rolled beyond the pitcher's mound on that side of the field.

The bunt was really pretty good with how the Rockies defense play it.

However, he hit the ball to a six-time Gold Glove third baseman.

A great athletic play by third baseman Nolan Arenado and an outstretched left arm and outstretched legs by first baseman Ryan McMahon was enough to preserve a scoreless game through seven innings.

After a video review of it, of course.