Brenton Doyle went 3-for-4 with a tiebreaking two-run double to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Denver.
Brendan Rodgers had two hits and Michael Toglia homered for the Rockies, who notched their fourth victory in the past six games.
Freddy Fermin reached base four times on three hits and a walk for Kansas City, which lost for the fourth time in its last six contests. Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. added two hits apiece.
With the game tied at 2, Rodgers led off the eighth inning with a single off John Schreiber (3-3) and Ryan McMahon followed with a double to right-center field. Elias Diaz walked to load the bases.
Doyle came up and laced a double down the right field line that bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double, scoring pinch-runners Aaron Schunk and Sam Hilliard.
Victor Vodnik (2-1) gave up one hit in the eighth for the Rockies before Jalen Beeks encountered trouble in the ninth. He allowed singles to Fermin and Nick Loftin before retiring three straight batters for his eighth save.
Kansas City’s Cole Ragans gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
Colorado’s Kyle Freeland also pitched seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and seven hits. He struck out five and walked one.
The Rockies tied the score at 1 in the bottom of the third when Toglia homered to left-center field. Kansas City left fielder Dairon Blanco went back to the wall and reached above the fence and the ball hit his glove just as the leather collided with a fan who was trying to catch it.
The umpiring crew ruled it a homer and the play was reviewed. The decision was made that there was no fan interference. It was Toglia’s 10th homer of the season.
The Royals went ahead 2-1 in the fourth as Fermin walked and moved to third when McMahon made an error on Loftin’s grounder. Garrett Hampson then hit into a fielder’s choice to score Fermin.
The Rockies tied the score in the sixth as leadoff batter Rodgers reached on an infield single, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on McMahon’s groundout before Diaz smacked a tying single.
Kansas City scored in the first when Witt smacked a one-out double and scored on a two-out single by Salvador Perez.
–Field Level Media