The Colorado Rockies narrowly beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2. It was a back-and-forth affair, but a wild pitch in the eighth by the Reds ended up being the difference.

Strong Márqs

Germán Márquez bounced back brilliantly after his rough outing over the weekend. He ended up pitching six innings while allowing just one run on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. Unfortunately, the run came via a home run smacked by Noelvi Marte in the third, but Márquez got out of the inning and looked strong afterwards. He pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, his only one of the evening, but he was still able to limit traffic. The only inning that featured more than one baserunner was the fifth, but that’s because he intentionally walked Elly De La Cruz (he’d walked TJ Friedl earlier in the inning).

I back, you back, we back a RyMac jack

Ryan McMahon got the Rockies on the board with one swing of the bat in the fourth inning. After Michael “Big Mike” Toglia walked, “Big Mac” smacked a 414-foot two-run shot over the right field wall on a hanging curveball to put the Rockies up 2-1. In total, McMahon went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a strikeout — the best performance by a Rockies player on the night.

Bird is not the word

Once Márquez was finished after 94 pitches, Jake Bird came on to relieve him in the seventh. Bird made a great case for the All-Star Game, but has struggled as of late. In his last outing, he allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits with a walk and a home run in just 1⁄3 of an inning against the Boston Red Sox. Before that, he allowed one run on three hits with a hit batter in 1⁄3 of an inning against the Houston Astros. He threw six pitches in that outing.

Bird really started to struggle starting on June 13, and hasn’t quite regained form. Tonight was no different.

Bird threw one inning and allowed one run on two hits with a walk, an intentional walk and a striekout. Unfortunately, that one run tied the game. Luckily, though, recently-named All-Star Hunter Goodman walked and subsequently scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to put the Rockies back up and they never looked back.

Nails for Vodnik

Victor Vodnik was called upon the pitch the ninth inning, up 3-2 with a save opportunity. Santiago Espinal doubled to lead off the inning, poking it just over Jordan Beck’s head in left field. Vodnik then came back to strike out Friedl and Matt McLain, both on full counts. The Rockies then elected to intentionally walk De La Cruz to put men on first and second, but then Vodnik came back to strike out Austin Hays (again on a full count) to end the game and end the Rockies’ six-game losing streak.

Up Next

The Rox face the Reds again tomorrow afternoon. Bradley Blalock will make the start against Reds’ right-hander Brady Singer. First pitch is at 5:10pm MT. See you then!