Rockies lose 5-3 to Blue Jays after rally falls short
DENVER (AP) - The Colorado Rockies waited out a dominant performance from Aaron Sanchez before putting together an impressive comeback bid.
It fell short.
Mark Reynolds and Daniel Descalso had RBI doubles in the ninth inning and the Rockies put the tying run in scoring position before falling 5-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Descalso finished with three hits and two RBIs.
"I love the way we battle no matter what the challenges are," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "When we play nine innings, sometimes more, we play to the last out."
The Rockies scored two quick runs on Roberto Osuna, who replaced Sanchez, in the ninth. Charlie Blackmon loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch, but Cristhian Adames was called out trying to check his swing to end the game.
"I can't tell if he swung or not," Weiss said. "He may have swung, but I still think with the game on the line, the third base umpire is down there for a reason."
Sanchez (8-1) allowed one run in eight innings and Josh Donaldson homered for Toronto.
Junior Lake and Edwin Encarnacion also drove in runs for the Blue Jays. Ryan Goins scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to push the lead to 5-1.
Tyler Anderson (0-2) gave up three runs in six innings for Colorado.
He allowed the homer to Donaldson with two outs in the third inning and an RBI single to Troy Tulowitzki two batters later to give Toronto a 3-0 lead.
"I gave them a few early, which you really don't want to do," Anderson said. "Especially with a guy like Sanchez, who is throwing the ball really well lately."
In the seventh, Sanchez allowed a single and two walks to load the bases, but left unscathed after inducing pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn into an inning-ending double play. He followed it with a hitless eighth.
"I think his command was the key for him," Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. "He threw some really good pitches. He trusted his fastball. It is live and it has movement."
TULO'S RETURN
Tulowitzki went 2 for 13 in his first trip back to Colorado since his trade to the Blue Jays. He played in front of a warmly receptive crowd over the three days at Coors Field. The former Rockies All-Star homered Tuesday, in a game that started nearly three hours late because of intense rain and hail and didn't end until 1:12 a.m.
TOP PITCHING PROSPECT CLOSE
RHP Jeff Hoffman may want to stay near a phone. A call-up could be near.
"I'm not sure when that would be," Weiss said, "but I think he's pretty close."
Hoffman was the Blue Jays' first pick in the 2014 draft before he was shipped to Colorado as part of the trade for Tulowitzki last July.
Hoffman is the Rockies' top pitching prospect and is ranked 47th among all prospects, according to MLB.com.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: Brett Cecil (triceps) will likely be activated off the 15-day DL on Thursday before the Blue Jays' four-game series against the Cleveland Indians.
Rockies: SS Trevor Story (finger) sat out Wednesday. He was hit in the middle finger by a ninth-inning pitch Sunday and re-aggravated it in a late at-bat Tuesday. ... 2B DJ LeMahieu (knee) appeared as a defensive replacement Tuesday, but the Rockies chose to give him a couple more days of rest with the team off Thursday. ... RHP Adam Ottavino (elbow), rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, pitched a clean inning for Colorado's Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey (5-8, 4.23 ERA) opens a four-game set against the surging Indians on Thursday. The veteran knuckleballer struggled in his last outing, allowing a season-high four home runs against the Chicago White Sox.
Rockies: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (5-4, 6.47 ERA) will take the mound against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. De La Rosa seems to have found his groove since rejoining the rotation on June 14, allowing just four runs over 17 innings.