Diamondbacks Rough Up Senzatela, Rockies Lose 10-3
DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - Chris Owings and Paul Goldschmidt hit three-run homers Thursday as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 10-3 in the rubber match of their three-game series.
Arizona starter Zack Godley gave up two hits in the first inning, including Charlie Blackmon's 24th career leadoff homer and second this season, but then retired 13 straight batters and 19 of 20 before Raimel Tapia led off the eighth with an infield single.
Pinch hitter Pat Valaika followed Tapia with a run-scoring double that finished Godley (3-1), who gave up four hits and three runs with one walk and a career-high tying eight strikeouts in seven-plus innings.
Godley also singled home a run in the eighth inning for his second career RBI in 45 at-bats.
Arizona improved to 13-6-4 in series this season and the Rockies, who are 6-2 in rubber games, fell to 16-5-3 in series.
It was the second straight lopsided victory for the Diamondbacks, who erupted for 10 runs in the fourth inning on Wednesday, the biggest inning on the road in franchise history, and walloped the Rockies 16-5.
The Diamondbacks roughed up faltering rookie Antonio Senzatela (9-3). Owings hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Goldschmidt belted a three-run shot in the fourth to give Arizona a 9-1 lead.
In 14 previous starts totaling 83 1/3 innings. Senzatela yielded 13 home runs. But the only three-run blast was hit by Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs on June 11 at Wrigley Field.
After Goldschmidt, who had three hits and four RBIs, singled home a run in the third inning, Senzatela walked Jake Lamb before Owings hit his sixth homer.
Jeff Mathis led off the fourth with a single and was sacrificed to second by Godley. Senzatela walked Jeremy Hazelbaker before Nick Ahmed singled home a run, and Goldschmidt followed with his 18th home run.
The Diamondbacks (46-27) have won nine of their past 10 games and 12 of their past 14.
Senzatela, 22, who had never pitched above Double-A before making the Opening Day rotation, had a 3.19 ERA after his first 10 career starts. But in his past five starts, Senzatela has a 8.20 ERA (26 1/3 innings, 24 earned runs) to raise his overall ERA to 4.79. He has surrendered eight homers in his past four games compared with seven homers in his first 11, a span of 67 innings.
In five innings against the Diamondbacks, Senzatela allowed career highs in hits (eight) and runs (nine).
NOTES: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and pitched the ninth inning. RHP Carlos Estevez was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Diamondbacks CF A.J. Pollock (strained right groin) could resume his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Reno. ... Rockies RHP Scott Oberg made his team-leading 33rd appearance and pitched two innings for the second time this season. ... Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt has reached base in 61 of his past 63 games against the Rockies.
