Unconventional? Unusual? Atypical? You bet, but the Rockies will take victories by any means necessary.
Thursday night at Busch Stadium, they used a ragged but effective start by Cal Quantrill, a starring turn by Michael Toglia, and a hefty dose of small ball to beat the Cardinals 3-2.
The Rockies had just four hits, marking just the third time in their last 82 games (since 2019) they won a game with four or fewer hits.
And, for a nice change of pace, Colorado’s bullpen didn’t melt down late, enabling the Rockies to snap their five-game losing streak.
“Every game is different, but this win feels good, especially after yesterday’s game,” manager Bud Black told reporters in St. Louis, referring to the Rockies’ 12-7 loss to Cincinnati in which the Rockies gave up six runs in the ninth inning.
“This was a really good bounce-back win,” Black continued. “You guys ask me all the time about this team’s resolve? Well, you saw it tonight.”
Despite his fine bottom line, Quantrill was not particularly sharp, as evidenced by his four walks. But the right-hander, despite lacking command of his split-finger fastball, gutted out five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. He whittled his ERA to 3.58. Over his last seven starts (since May 3), he has a 1.76 ERA.
In the fifth, Toglia provided Quantrill an assist worthy of Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He leaped at the right-field wall to rob Matt Carpenter of a leadoff homer. Toglia, called up from Triple-A Albuquerque before the game, got a big hug from Quantrill when the Rockies returned to the dugout.
“I’ve never done anything quite like that,” Togila told Rockies.TV. “That’s (the) best outfield play I’ve ever made. That’s No. 1.”
In the fourth, Colorado used its version of Whiteyball — the small ball popularized by Cardinals Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog in the 1980s — to score two runs and take a 3-0 lead.
Brenton Doyle led off with a single off Sonny Gray and stole second base. Jake Cave drew a one-out walk, and then Doyle and Cave pulled off a double steal, a rarity for the Rockies. Toglia grounded out to first to score Doyle, and Cave scored on Gray’s wild pitch.
Colorado eked out its first run in the third. Cave drew a one-out walk, Toglia singled to right, sending Cave to third, and Charlie Blackmon’s groundout scored Cave.
St. Louis trimmed Colorado’s lead to 3-2 in the sixth against reliever Matt Carasiti. Four singles and a throwing error by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar took away the Rockies’ comfort zone. Tovar’s error was only his second of the season and his first since April 24 vs. San Diego.
Rockies lefty Jalen Beeks entered the game in the eighth and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, with two strikeouts, before handing the ball over to right-hander Tyler Kinley, who struck out Nolan Gorman to end the game and pocket his third save.
Toglia up, KB to IL. Injuries have shaken up the Rockies’ roster, giving outfielder Greg Jones a chance to make his big-league debut and Toglia another chance to prove he can hit big-league pitching.
The pair was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque ahead of Colorado’s game against the Cardinals.
They replace first baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant and outfielder Sean Bouchard, who were placed on the 10-day injured list. Bryant’s latest injury is listed as left rib contusion, but he’s struggled with lower back issues all season. Bouchard sprained his right ankle running to first base in the eighth inning of Colorado’s 12-7 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Toglia, 25, began the season on the big-league roster. Despite launching four home runs, he slashed just .106/.143/.362 in 47 at-bats with a 40.8% strikeout rate before his demotion to Triple-A. However, Toglia has thrived with the Isotopes, slashing .277/.363/.571 with nine home runs, four doubles, two triples and 27 RBIs in 30 games. He’s also drawn 15 walks vs. 35 strikeouts, compared to 20 strikeouts to just one walk with the Rockies.
“I’ve been sent down before,” Toglia told MLB.com. “I know what it’s like to get sent down. When I was sent down this time, I knew how to handle it and go about my business professionally in Triple-A.”
Jones, 26, was acquired from the Rays in a spring training trade for pitching prospect Joe Rock. Jones was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was injured earlier this season, limiting him to 89 plate appearances over 20 Triple-A games. He’s slashed .240/.360/.387 with a 12.4% walk rate and a 28.1% strikeout rate. Jones has hit two home runs and swiped 15 bases in 16 attempts.
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Friday’s pitching matchup
Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (1-3, 3.06 ERA) at Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.23)
6:15 p.m. Friday, Busch Stadium
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 returns to Busch Stadium, where his career began. Friday marks his fifth start vs. the Cardinals since he was traded to Colorado as part of the Nolan Arenado deal in February 2021. Gomber, whose left elbow/triceps soreness forced him to miss a start, did not pitch well at Los Angeles in his last outing, allowing three runs on five hits in a season-low three innings. Gomber was terrific in May, going 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts. He is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA against St. Louis and beat the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Aug. 6 last year, pitching six scoreless innings in a 1-0 Rockies victory.
On Sunday, Lynn allowed four unearned runs in four innings in the Cardinals’ 5-4, 10-inning win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The right-hander has rolled vs. the Rockies, going 3-0 in his last three starts with a 0.45 ERA, 24 strikeouts and eight hits allowed. He pitched a complete game against Colorado on Aug. 14, 2000, as a member of the Rangers, allowing two runs (one earned) on just two hits and no walks. Lynn’s career 2.02 ERA vs. the Rockies is his lowest against any opponent with more than two starts.
Pitching probables
• Saturday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-5, 6.22) at Cardinals RHP Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.69), 2:15 p.m.
• Sunday: Rockies LHP Ty Blach (2-3, 4.54) at Cardinals RHP RHP Andre Pallante (1-2, 6.16), 12:15 p.m.
