Germán Márquez earns 3rd straight win, Rockies shut out Twins 1-0
MINNEAPOLIS — Germán Márquez pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and the Colorado Rockies edged the Twins 1-0 Friday night in a rare trip to Minnesota.
Charlie Blackmon's run-scoring fielder's choice was the difference for the Rockies, who snapped a three-game skid.
Márquez (4-5) had a season high in innings and season low in runs in winning his third straight decision as Colorado bounced back from a three-game sweep in Miami.
Daniel Bard relieved Márquez with runners on first and third in the eighth and got an inning-ending groundout. He finished out his 15th save in 17 chances with a perfect ninth as the Rockies notched their first shutout of the season.
Connor Joe had a pair of hits and scored a run for Colorado, which is playing in Minnesota for just the fourth time in franchise history and the first since 2017.
Dylan Bundy (4-4) allowed a run in six innings for the Twins, giving up four hits and two walks. Minnesota was shut out for the 10th time in 72 games this season, one night after shutting out Cleveland.
Neither team could supply much offense despite the warm, humid night that had a starting temperature of 91 degrees and wind blowing out to left field at 13 mph.
Márquez surrendered just three hits and managed around a leadoff walk in four separate innings.
Bundy allowed two hits through his first five innings, but the Rockies manufactured a run in the sixth. Joe and Yonathan Daza singled in the inning and Joe came around to score on Blackmon's grounder to shortstop Carlos Correa.
Correa, playing on the right side of second base in the shift, didn't have enough time to turn the double play before Joe scored.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Kris Bryant won't make his return during the weekend series in Minnesota as originally hoped. Bryant, who has been out since May 24 with a lower back strain, will remain with Triple-A Albuquerque and will likely return next week when Colorado returns home. Manager Bud Black said Bryant didn't have a setback and the team just wanted to give him more time.
Twins: OF Byron Buxton was out of the lineup for the third straight game as he deals with a lingering knee issue, but he pinch-hit in the eighth. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Buxton is feeling better and hopes to have him back in the lineup this weekend. … 2B Jorge Polanco (low back tightness) was scheduled to begin baseball activities on Friday and could return Monday or Tuesday, according to Baldelli. Polanco, who has been out since June 13, likely won't need a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
RHP Chris Archer (1-3, 3.44 ERA) starts the Saturday night matchup for Minnesota, with Colorado countering with RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-3, 4.42). Archer hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his last four starts, but he has only lasted four innings in each of his last two outings. Senzatela has allowed five total runs over his last three starts, spanning 18 innings.