Cal Quantrill is turning out to be the heist of the offseason.
The Rockies’ right-hander, acquired from Cleveland in November after the Guardians had designated him for assignment, was brilliant again Tuesday night in Colorado’s 5-4 win over the Twins at Target Field.
And speaking of brilliance, All-Star Game candidates Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon woke up the Rockies’ sleepy offense with timely home runs.
Tovar blasted a three-run homer off lefty reliever Caleb Thielbar in the sixth. It was Tovar’s 11th homer. McMahon followed up with a double off the right-field wall, advanced to third on Jacob Stalling’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Michael Toglia’s sacrifice fly to give Colorado a 4-0 lead.
In the eighth, after the Twins had cut Colorado’s lead to 4-2 with Byron Buxton’s two-run homer off reliever Victor Vodnik, McMahon launched a two-out, 441-foot solo homer to right to give the Rockies a 5-2 cushion.
As it turned out, McMahon’s 11th homer of the season was the much-needed difference-maker because Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer off Colorado closer Tyler Kinley in the ninth before Kinley got his fifth save.
“The last couple of games our offensive has been struggling,” McMahon told Rockies.TV. “But ‘Tovie’s’ our guy. He’s our best player, and he came up with a big hit.”
As for his own homer, McMahon added: “I’ve been grinding, but it feels good to help the team win.”
Quantrill blanked Minnesota for six innings, allowing just three hits (all singles), striking out five and walking one. He did plunk two batters but was never in trouble. The right-hander has turned his split-finger fastball into a reliable weapon. Of his 100 pitches, 40 were splitters.
Quantrill has not allowed a run over his last two starts (11 innings) and has a 1.91 ERA over his last eight starts. He owns the Twins, the team he’s faced more than any other in his career. In 12 career games against Minneapolis (nine starts), he’s 6-0 with a 2.89 ERA.
The Guardians let go of Quantrill partly because he had an injured shoulder for much of last season, but he’s posted up for every start for the Rockies, and his refined splitter is confounding hitters.
The Rockies had been outscored 10-1 in their previous two games, and they barely touched Twins starter Louie Varland. The big right-hander entered the night 0-4 with a 9.81 ERA. But he blanked the Rockies for five innings, allowing just one hit, striking out three and walking one.
The Rockies’ defense, coupled with Santana’s poor base running, turned in a huge play to shut down the Twins in the seventh. Jose Miranda lined out to left fielder Jake Cave, who made an excellent running catch and then relayed the ball to Tovar, who threw to first baseman Toglia to double-up Santana. Santana made a big goof by rounding second base before he realized Cave made the catch.
Manager Bud Black notched his 500th career victory with the Rockies after winning 649 games as San Diego’s manager from 2007 to ’15. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first manager to win 500 games with two clubs and record 100 wins as a major league pitcher.
Wednesday’s pitching matchup
Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (1-3, 3.38 ERA) at Twins RHP RHP Pablo López (5-6, 5.45)
11:10 a.m. Wednesday, Target Field
TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Gomber has not been as sharp lately after missing a start because of a sore left elbow and triceps. Gomber enters his eighth road start of the season with a 1-2 record and 3.55 ERA away from Coors Field. On the road, he’s struck out 27 and walked 11. Gomber is making his first start against the Twins after two previous relief appearances, both at Target Field. He is 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA vs. Colorado.
Lopez is trying to rebound from a rough start against the Yankees. He allowed a season-high seven runs on four hits (one homer), walked six and struck out four. His six walks were a career-high. He has a good track record vs. Colorado, going 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four starts with 26 strikeouts vs. seven walks while limiting the Rockies to a .189 average.
Pitching probables
Thursday: Off
Friday: Pirates TBA at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-5, 5.74), 6:40 p.m.
Saturday: Pirates RHP Jared Jones (4-5, 3.27) at Rockies LHP Ty Blach (2-4, 4.84), 7:10 p.m.
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
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