DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 137:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Mickey Moniak’s ninth-inning triple down the right-field line caromed off the wall and out of reach of Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker, allowing Ryan Ritter to score from first base to give the Rockies a 6-5 walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.

Moniak’s heroics allowed the Rockies to finally defeat the Cubs after dropping six-consecutive games to the Northsiders dating back to last year.

MICKEY
MICKEY
MICKEY pic.twitter.com/N1id4qv4kj

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 31, 2025

Ritter started the ninth-inning rally with an infield single on Daniel Palencia’s first pitch of the inning, ekeing the ball just past the reach of Chicago shortstop Dansby Swanson. Three pitches later, Moniak lined a Palencia slider deep into right field to snap a four-game losing streak.

The Rockies had surged to a 5-2 lead, scoring twice in the third and fourth innings and adding another run in the seventh inning.

Colorado built its lead in part with some good fortune that has often been absent in this frustrating season, and the Rox saw a pair of fly balls drop in the perfect spots in the third and fourth innings. Catcher Braxton Fulford’s dying quail to shallow right field led off the third inning; Tyler Freeman and Brenton Doyle each delivered RBI to forge a 2-2 tie after the Cubs had gone in front in the top of the third.

A two-out rally got the job done in the fourth inning; Kyle Farmer started the burst by drawing a 3-2 walk from Cubs starter Matt Boyd. Fulford then hammered a triple to right field to score Farmer; Fulford came home when Orlando Arcia dropped a single into no-man’s land.

Colorado added a run in the seventh inning when Doyle brought home Arcia with a sacrifice fly. But the output was disappointing, as the Rockies loaded the bases before Cubs reliever Porter Hodge could record an out.

They loaded them again after Hodge walked Jordan Beck with two outs; he escaped the jam by striking out Kyle Karros on his 38th pitch of the inning.

It appeared that undercapitalized opportunity in the seventh inning would prove costly when the Cubs hammered reliever Luis Peralta in the eighth inning. Michael Busch drew a leadoff walk and Tucker singled to right field; two batters later, Ian Happ crushed a Peralta fastball, drilling it 429 feet to center field to send the Cubs fans — who appeared to represent a significant majority of the 40,264 on hand — into raptures.

“He got behind today, didn’t have his best stuff,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said of Peralta.

But no Cub would reach base again. Angel Chivilli and Juan Mejia stifled the Cubs from there, giving the Rox a chance to win the game in the ninth.

Colorado is 39-98.

The bottom three batters in the Rockies’ order — Fulford, Arcia and Ritter — went 7-for-11 on Sunday.

“They got it kick-started,” Schaeffer said.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

This was Tanner Gordon at his most effective: using a variety of pitches to keep Cubs batters off-balance. Three times, he caught them looking for called third strikes, representing one-third of his nine strikeouts over his six innings of work.

Gordon worked economically, completing his six innings in 81 pitches before giving way to Jaden Hill. He worked an eight-pitch second inning and a 10-pitch fifth inning, helping keep his workload in line.

But Gordon lost the win when the Cubs shredded Peralta in the eighth inning, erasing Colorado’s lead with a walk, a single and a three-run Ian Happ blast that wiped out the 5-2 lead.

Nevertheless, it was Gordon’s fifth quality start of the season.

“He stacked another game like he’s been pitching,” Schaeffer said. “I mean, it’s a good lineup. He stuck heaters away late in the count.”

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Moniak delivered his second career walk-off hit.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 9 — Strikeouts for Gordon, a career-high.

WHAT’S NEXT: A three-game series with the San Francisco Giants, beginning with a Labor Day matinee. Chase Dollander gets the call for the series opener, which will take place Monday at 2:10 p.m. MDT.