Hollands chooses free agency

Greg Holland declined his player option to become a free agent and the Rockies declined the club option for Alexi Amarista.

Arenado, Reynolds homer, Rockies beat Brewers 2-1

 Nolan Arenado needed a few games to get warmed up after tying for the National League home run title last season with 41.

Arenado led off the ninth inning with his first homer of the season to give the Colorado Rockies the lead in a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

"I'm just grinding to get comfortable," Arenado said. "I was just trying to shorten up and put the ball in play with two strikes and (Neftali Feliz) threw one middle-in and I put a good swing on it. I didn't crush it, but I hit it good enough.

Rockies manager Bud Black said power hitters can get tense early in the season looking for their home run swing.

"For Nolan getting the first homer, it is a good sign," Black said.

Mark Reynolds also homered and Antonio Senzatela pitched five strong innings in his major league debut. Former Brewer Reynolds led off the third against starter Chase Anderson with his second home run of the season.

The Rockies won three of four games in the season-opening series.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis tied it in the seventh with a solo homer off reliever Adam Ottavino.

Senzatela pitched five shutout innings, gave up two hits, had six strikeouts and three walks. He spent last season with Double-A Hartford and was winless in five spring training starts this year.

Senzatela gave up two hits and a walk in the first, but escape by inducing an inning-ending double play.

"I thought that let him exhale a little bit," Black said.

Mike Dunn (1-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Greg Holland finished for his third save in three chances.

Anderson pitched effectively in his first start of the season. He allowed one run and three hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked two.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: Dustin Garneau started catcher after Tony Wolters worked the first three games.

Brewers: OF Keon Broxton sustained what Counsell referred to as a small nasal fracture after being struck in the helmet with 92 mph fastball from Senzatela in the second inning. The ball struck a protective flap on Broxton's helmet and pushed the flap into his nose. Counsell said Broxton is day-to-day and unlikely to go on the disable list. "That flap, man, that thing just saved my life," Broxton said. "The crazy thing about it is I was thinking about taking it off a couple days ago, too, and then this happens. I'm never taking that thing off. It just felt like I got punched by Mike Tyson. But other than that I feel good."... OF Ryan Braun didn't start as part of a plan to give him routine rest during the season. Braun pinch-hit with two outs in the ninth and flew out to right.

SENT OUT

The Brewers announced after the game that RHP Taylor Jungmann had been optioned to Double-A Biloxi.

CHANGE OF GLOVES

Eric Thames, signed by the Brewers in the offseason to be their regular first baseman, started in left field. Jesus Aguilar, who had three hits in four at-bats entering the game, got the start at first. "The fact (Thames) played outfield a little bit for us (in spring training) is a very valuable thing, especially on a day like today when Braun is not in the lineup," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "It strengthens our lineup."

EMOTIONAL ENCOUNTER

When Black informed Senzatela that he'd be making his first major league start, emotions flowed. "He's a guy who, at that moment, wore his emotions on his sleeve," Black said. "He started tearing up. It was wonderful. We gave each other a big guy hug."

UP NEXT

Rockies: Kyle Freeland will make his major league debut Friday in Colorado's home opener against Los Angeles. The Denver native, who started 2016 at Double-A Hartford before being promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque last June, went 2-2 with a 3.46 ERA in spring training.

Brewers: Jimmy Nelson makes his first start of the season on Friday as Milwaukee opens a three-game series at home against the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs. Nelson was 8-16 with a 4.62 ERA in a career-high 32 starts last season.

Peralta, 3 HRs lift Brewers past Rockies 6-1

Colorado manager Bud Black gave Wily Peralta all the credit for the Milwaukee Brewers' latest win over the Rockies.

Peralta pitched five effective innings, and Eric Thames, Travis Shaw and Jonathan Villar each homered to help the Brewers beat the Rockies 6-1 Wednesday night.

"I think it was more him," Black said of Peralta. "You saw his fastball velocity and enough breaking pitches to keep us off balance. As the game went on, he mixed in a changeup to our left-handed hitters."

Peralta threw 90 pitches, 56 for strikes.

"It was about velocity to pretty good spots at the top of the zone and breaking balls to disrupt our timing," Black said. "I think it was more about him for five."

Peralta (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out five and walked one. He's already off to a better start than a year ago when he lost his first three outings and struggled through 10 more before being demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs. He pitched effectively in his final 10 starts after being recalled, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.92 ERA.

"It feels good being able to have my velocity back, especially locating it," Peralta said. "Since coming back from Triple-A, I've been able to define my mechanics and other stuff, and since then it's been good."

Thames hit a 3-1 pitch 450 feet to deep center and Shaw teed off on a 1-0 pitch for a two-run homer job off Tyler Chatwood (0-1) in the bottom of the fourth. The Brewers added the left-handed hitting tandem to rebalance last season's predominantly right-handed lineup.

Villar ended the Colorado bullpen's scoreless streak at 9 1/3 innings this season with a two-run shot in the eighth.

Neftali Feliz came on with two outs and the bases loaded and struck out Charlie Blackmon for his first save of the season and the 100th of his career.

Carlos Torres pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh, working his way around three walks. Corey Knebel handled the eighth.

Mark Reynolds had a run-scoring single off Taylor Jungmann in the ninth.

"It was more about their pitching," Black said. "We just couldn't solve it."

Chatwood, who was 8-1 away from Coors Field and had a franchise-record 1.69 road ERA last season, allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out five in his first appearance at Miller Park.

Hernan Perez doubled home a run in the sixth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (right oblique strain) throws Thursday at Triple-A Albuquerque. "Hopefully, he'll get to 45 pitches," manager Bud Black said. The plan is to lengthen him out to three innings or the pitch count. ... RHP Chad Qualls (right forearm tightness) threw a bullpen session in Arizona. He is scheduled to throw another one Saturday at Coors Field with a rehab assignment to follow. ... RHP Jairo Diaz (recovering from Tommy John surgery) threw Wednesday and briefly remains in an extended spring-training routine before his rehab assignment.

Brewers: INF/OF Nick Franklin was claimed off waivers Wednesday from Tampa Bay and takes the roster spot of RHP Michael Blazek, who was designated for assignment. . Thames played for the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization the past three seasons and led the league with 40 home runs in 2016.

WHERE'S HOME?

Orlando Arcia's base-running blunder possibly cost the Brewers a run.

Arcia tripled and tried to score on Peralta's soft fly to right. Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez's throw home was late, but Arcia slid past home. Chatwood, backing up the play, yelled at catcher Tony Walters to tag Arcia when he made no effort to come back and touch the base.

"It was a good defensive play right there," Gonzalez said. "That's what you want to do when you're on the field. You want to play for your teammates. You want to play for your pitchers. In the first three games, we've shown some good defense in the infield and the outfield, too."

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela makes his major-league debut. He spent the 2016 season with Double-A Hartford where he went 4-1 with a 1.82 ERA in seven starts. This spring, he was 0-4 with a 4.61 ERA in eight games (five starts).

Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson makes his first start of the season. He went 9-11 (ERA 4.39) in 31 games (30 starts) last season. He is 3-3 with a 5.30 ERA in 10 career starts against the Rockies.

Holland, Rockies' bullpen close out Brewers again in 6-5 win

 Greg Holland measures his progress back from Tommy John surgery in simple steps.

He's feeling just fine as long as he's closing out games for the Colorado Rockies.

Holland earned his second save in two days, capping another scoreless outing for Colorado relievers in a 6-5 win Tuesday night over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The right-hander tossed a perfect ninth for a Rockies bullpen that has opened the season with 8 1/3 scoreless innings. New setup man Mike Dunn struck out all three batters he faced looking in the eighth with the Brewers up by a run.

"We know what they can bring in terms of performance, but also what they can do with that group to (liven) everybody up," new Colorado manager Bud Black said.

It has been an especially gratifying start for Holland, the former Royals closer back on the mound after missing the 2016 season following right elbow surgery.

Holland needed a double play started by third baseman Nolan Arenado's diving stop to get the save in the season opener. The ninth inning was a little easier Tuesday.

"I feel healthy. If I feel healthy, I fully expect to do what they ask of me. I'm not worried about getting back to a certain level of getting back to where I was in `12 or `13 or whatever year," Holland said. "I just want to be successful here today and fortunately I was today."

Gerardo Parra and Mark Reynolds, a pair of former Brewers, look comfortable back in Milwaukee, too. Parra's bases-loaded double with the game tied at 1 in a four-run third inning put the Rockies ahead for good.

Reynolds, who is playing first base with Ian Desmond sidelined by a broken left hand, added an RBI double in the fifth.

Ryan Braun homered and doubled for the Brewers. His solo shot in the fourth on a pitch low and away in the zone landed among restaurant-goers sitting on a patio above left field.

Otherwise, the Rockies feasted on Brewers starter Zach Davies (0-1). The right-hander gave up six runs on nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.

"It was a strange game because there was a lot of soft contact that cost him, really," said Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell, who also pointed to Davies getting into some trouble in the third while falling behind in the count.

SHAW'S START

Travis Shaw doubled twice and had a run and two RBIs for the Brewers off left-handed starter Tyler Anderson. A left-handed hitter with a career .247 average against lefties, Shaw drew the Brewers within 6-4 with a run-scoring grounder in the sixth with runners at second and third.

Shaw's four doubles are a franchise record over the first two games of a season. Asked if Shaw could see regular at-bats against lefties, Counsell said: "What he's shown us so far is certainly that he deserves it."

The Brewers had the potential tying run on third later in the sixth, but Orlando Arcia struck out swinging with two outs against reliever Carlos Estevez.

MR. ANDERSON

Anderson (1-0) struck out eight and allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Rockies.

"Still getting to know Tyler, watching him pitch, watching his stuff. I like the competitive nature of this fella. I like the composure," said Black, who has won his first two games as Rockies skipper.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers opening day starter Junior Guerra was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right calf and the team recalled reliever Brent Suter from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Counsell said Guerra could be out six weeks with what he called a significant strain. ... Milwaukee RHP Matt Garza, on the DL with a right groin injury, threw off a mound before batting practice and could start a rehab stint at Triple-A early next week.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood, who had a franchise-record 1.69 road ERA last season, makes his first start of the season Wednesday night and his first appearance at Miller Park.

Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta, last season's opening day starter, makes his 2017 debut. Peralta had a 0.71 ERA in three spring training appearances without getting a decision. He also allowed one run in a four-inning start on March 12 in his only appearance in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic.

Rockies win in debuts of Black, Holland, beat Brewers 7-5

Rockies manager Bud Black exchanged high-fives with his players as they streamed off the field and stopped Greg Holland for a few extra seconds to offer encouraging words and a pat on the back.

It was quite the successful Colorado debut for Black and the team's new closer.

Holland picked up a save for the first time since coming back from Tommy John surgery, Mark Reynolds homered and had three RBIs, and the Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-5 in Monday's opener.

Black's 650th win as a major league manager was his first with the Rockies.

"We checked off a lot of boxes in that baby. That was a little bit of everything," said Black, who also spent eight-plus seasons managing San Diego.

Holland got Ryan Braun to bounce into a game-ending, 5-4-3 double play that started after third baseman Nolan Arenado dove to his left and threw to second while on his right knee. The out at first was confirmed on a video review, giving Holland his first save since Sept. 17, 2015, for Kansas City against Cleveland.

His previous major league appearance was the following day against Detroit. The right-hander missed the 2016 season because of the elbow injury.

"This guy is a two-time All-Star. This guy is pitched in the postseason. And he's healthy," Black said. "We'll continue to watch all relievers but it was good to see Greg get a save."

The Brewers lost a key pitcher when Junior Guerra left his first opening-day start in the big leagues after three innings with a strained right calf. He grimaced as he broke out of the batter's box after laying down a bunt.

Manager Craig Counsell said that Guerra will go on the disabled list, with more tests due on Tuesday. It was the first time Guerra could recall every hurting a leg.

"That's why I turned around and look at the catcher because I thought maybe he hit me, because it just felt like I got hit," Guerra said.

TURNING POINT

Tony Wolters scored from third with two outs in the seventh to give Colorado a 6-5 lead after Jett Bandy threw to second trying to catch Charlie Blackmon stealing. The ball short-hopped second baseman Jonathan Villar and trickled away on the infield dirt, allowing Wolters to go home.

Manager Craig Counsell said the Brewers missed a sign on the play.

Reliever Jhan Marinez (0-1) took the loss after having allowed Wolters to reach on a single. Carlos Estevez (1-0) pitched a hitless sixth.

BREWERS DEBUTS

Colorado added two more runs in the fourth before the Brewers rallied for five in the fifth behind new acquisitions Eric Thames and Travis Shaw, who each had RBI doubles. The left-handed hitters were brought in this offseason by general manager David Stearns to balance what had been a predominantly right-handed lineup.

"We put together a great inning in the fifth but there were some defensive plays we could have made and we had some at-bats where contact would have helped us," Counsell said.

JUST JARED

Pinch-hitter Alexi Amarista added an RBI double in the eighth off Jared Hughes, who signed with the Brewers on Monday. Hughes' deal calls for a $950,000 salary in the majors and $150,000 in the minors. He can earn $250,000 in performance bonuses based on games pitched: $25,000 each for 50 and 55, $50,000 apiece for 60 and 65 and $100,000 for 70.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: OF David Dahl (rib) and IF Ian Desmond (left hand) were among six players placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday, retroactive to March 30. The other players were: RHPs Jairo Diaz (elbow) and Chad Qualls (forearm), LHP Chris Rusin (oblique) and C Tom Murphy (right forearm).

Brewers: Minor league C Rene Garcia is out of a hospital and after sustaining a concussion in a play at the plate during Saturday's exhibition against the Chicago White Sox. General manager David Stearns said Garcia was doing well.

UP NEXT

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (5-6, 3.54 ERA in 2016) makes his debut after compiling a 4.08 ERA in six spring training starts. Anderson had a career-high 10 strikeouts in his only start against the Brewers, on Aug. 24.

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies made his first opening-day roster after a solid 2016. Davies went 11-7 with a 3.98 ERA in 28 starts last year, his first full season in the majors.

Rockies, Desmond reportedly agree to deal

The Rockies and free-agent outfielder Ian Desmond have agreed on a reported five-year, $70 million deal, sources told FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on Wednesday.

The club has not confirmed the deal.

Because Desmond declined Texas' qualifying offer, the Rockies will forfeit their first-round (No. 11 overall) pick in the 2017 Draft.

Desmond hit .285 with 22 home runs and 86 RBIs in 156 games for the Rangers in 2016.

Howard's grand slam propels Phils in opener

The Phillies got a little nostalgic Friday night.

Prior to their series-opening 10-6 win over the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils inducted Jim Thome into the club's Wall of Fame. Not three hours later, the man who took Thome's job back in 2005, Ryan Howard, looked like his old self and hammered a grand slam into the Rockies' bullpen, 455 feet away per Statcast™, to break a tie for good.

"You want to go out there and try to get a win on a special night like this," Howard said. "Being able to get something to hit and having it land on the other side of the fence -- it's the bonus."

After circling the bases, Howard re-emerged from the dugout for a curtain call. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done so.

"It's been a while," Howard said. "Felt great. I mean, to be able to do it in that situation in a night like tonight, it was pretty cool."

Howard's slam, the 14th of his career and first since 2014, continued the Rockies' downward spiral. Colorado had pulled a game over .500 and three games back of a Wild Card spot, but the Rockies have lost seven of nine games since.

Friday's pitching matchup was anything but nostalgic, featuring a pair of rookies in the Rockies' slumping Jon Gray and the Phils' Jake Thompson, making his second MLB start.

Thompson bounced back nicely from a 4 1/3-inning, six-run debut to toss five innings of three-run ball, though not without the red-hot Charlie Blackmon touching him for a home run. The Rockies' center fielder added two more big flies in the seventh and ninth for his first career three-home run game. Over the last week, Blackmon is 19-for-33 (.576) with six home runs.

"I felt pretty good -- I imagine that's what it's like to be Nolan Arenado on a day-to-day basis -- that's as close as I get," said Blackmon, referring to the Rockies' third baseman, who has 30 homers this season.

But with Gray throwing 111 pitches and lasting just 4 1/3 innings, the Rockies didn't get the starting pitching a team that was coming off a 4-hour, 3-minute game in 100-plus degree heat needed to keep up its energy level.

"No question, you're already a little bit low and then you're standing around out there on defense, it doesn't help," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Speed kills: After a 13-pitch at-bat to lead off the first, Cesar Hernandez ripped a ball into the right-center gap. As Gerardo Parra scrambled to field it, Hernandez was wheeling around the bases and landed on third for his MLB-leading ninth triple of the season. Odubel Herrera poked a fastball into left the next play, scoring Hernandez to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead, and followed it by swiping his 19th bag of the season. Hernandez matched Herrera on the bases the next inning, stealing his 12th base after an eight-pitch walk.

Gray days: In his first four starts out of the All-Star break, Gray compiled a 0.69 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. But his last two have been rocky. Against the Marlins on Sunday, he gave up four first-inning runs, and when he had a chance to keep the team in the game, he gave up four more and was removed after 3 2/3. Friday, Gray gave up three runs (two earned) the first two innings. But it was Howard's slam on the right-hander's 111th pitch with one down in the fifth that was the difference between a nice recovery and another messy final line.

Gray said the 95.2 mph fastball to Howard was poorly located.

"If I wanted to throw a fastball to him, it should've been up," Gray said. "It was in, but down, and it should've been in but up. I probably shouldn't have thrown a fastball anyway. I tried to go in there once. It wasn't smart for me."

No. 44 fans four: David Dahl led off the second inning by reaching first. To extend his career-opening hit streak to an MLB record 18 games? No, he struck out on a curveball in the dirt that got past Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp and hustled to first. But he would be a part of another feat. Parra and Nick Hundley reached, driving Dahl home. But they were followed by back-to-back-to-back strikeouts, giving Thompson four in the frame. He became the second Phillie in history to accomplish one of baseball's best oddities: a 4-K inning. The last Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat was Doc White, who whiffed four Brooklyn Dodgers in the fifth inning on July 21, 1902.

Win or lose, Blackmon on fire: Since June 20, Blackmon has hit safely in 41 of 48 games. In his last eight, Blackmon is hitting .576 (19-for-33) with six home runs, two doubles, a triple and 11 RBIs.

"He's in some kind of zone, playing really well, and he goes to the post every day," Weiss said.

SOUND GEEKY WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Hernandez had plate appearances of 13, eight and 13 pitches against Gray. He tripled, walked and struck out in those and saw 34 of Gray's 111 pitches (30.6 percent).

UPON REVIEW
The Rockies hoped to erase a baserunner and possibly make the fifth easier on Gray when they challenged a safe call at second base on Maikel Franco's fielder's choice grounder with one out. But after 2 minutes, 25 seconds, the replay official ruled that there was no angle that showed definitively that shortstop Daniel Descalso's right foot was on second base when he received DJ LeMahieu's throw in an atempt to retire Aaron Altherr. The call stood, Gray faced Howard with nowhere to put him, and Howard smashed the Rockies -- again.

WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Left-hander Tyler Anderson (4-3, 3.04 ERA), who has the lowest ERA through his first 11 starts of any pitcher in franchise history, will start Saturday night against the Phillies at 5:05 p.m. MT. On July 9, Anderson held the Phillies to two runs in six innings and homered, while also earning his first win.

Phillies: Jerad Eickhoff (7-12, 3.78 ERA) looks to avenge his last start against the Rockies on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET. In his first meeting vs. Colorado at Coors Field, the Rockies put up a six-spot in the sixth, en route to a season-high eight runs allowed by Eickhoff in 5 1/3 innings.

CarGo, Rox turn tables on Rangers with late rally

The Rockies had been victimized by late-inning comebacks through the first three games of their four-game home-and-home series with the Rangers. But they found themselves on the right side of a comeback victory Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Park.

Carlos Gonzalez, battling a left ankle sprain, came off the bench and erased some of the Rockies' frustrations with a tiebreaking three-run double in the eighth that led them to a 12-9 victory over the American League West-leading Rangers. The win ended a four-game losing streak for the Rockies and a five-game winning streak for the Rangers.

"I'm glad that I got the job done today, especially after all the tough losses that we've had against the Rangers and to be able to return the favor," said Gonzalez, who extended his hitting streak to 18 games. "They've been so great doing that all year, coming from behind and winning games."

It looked to be a similar tale for the Rockies and their bullpen when the Rangers scored four runs in the seventh to take a 9-7 lead, highlighted by back-to-back homers from Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland and an RBI double from Elvis Andrus. But Tony Woltersstarted the eighth-inning rally with an RBI single off left-hander Jake Diekman before David Dahl tied the game with a bases-loaded walk, and Gonzalez then cleared the bases off right-hander Matt Bush, who blew his third save a day after picking up his first career save.

"[Diekman] looked like he lost a little feel for the strike zone, feel for the pitch. I think the last couple outings have been kind of erratic," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "... As far as Bush, trying to nip the edges and walked a run in. Still feel like he needed to attack the strike zone."

Right-hander Scott Oberg picked up his first win of the season, despite allowing two runs in the seventh.

"What we've been through the last four or five days, it happens again today -- 105 degrees out there -- and we still fight our way back," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "That's why I've been focused on all the positives even though we've lost some tough games here lately."

Charlie Blackmon opened the scoring in the four-hour and three-minute contest -- which included 29 hits between both teams -- with a homer on the second pitch of the game off Rangers starter Lucas Harrell. The homer traveled an estimated 455 feet, per Statcast™. It was Blackmon's longest of the year and his eighth leadoff homer of the season, which gave him the Major League lead over Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson. Blackmon ended the day 4-for-6 and has multiple hits in five of his last six games.

The Rockies scored three in the third and two in the fourth off Harrell, who allowed six runs on nine hits in six innings. But the Rangers mirrored them in runs in both the third and fourth innings off Colorado starter Chad Bettis. Rougned Odor drove in three of the Rangers' five runs in those innings with an RBI triple in the third and a two-run homer in the fourth. Bettis broke a streak of six straight quality starts after giving up five runs over five innings.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Dahl in the MLB books: Dahl singled in the first inning to extend his career-beginning hit streak to 17 games, which tied him with Chuck Aleno of the 1941 Reds for the Major League record. Dahl surpassed Juan Pierre's Rockies record 16-game hit streak to begin his career in 2000. More >

Historical homer leads to big inning: Beltre got the Rangers' four-run seventh going with a solo homer that just cleared the right-field fence. It was career home run No. 431 for Beltre, tying him with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. for 47th on the all-time list. Beltre is now three home runs away from tying former Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez and former Braves outfielder Andruw Jones for No. 44 on the list, with Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera also sitting at 434 career homers.

Diekman, Bush have rough 8th: Diekman was on the hook for three of the five runs allowed in the eighth after giving up an RBI single to Wolters and a single to Blackmon before being replaced. Bush got DJ LeMahieu out on an attempted safety squeeze before walkingNolan Arenado and Dahl to force in the run. Gonzalez then broke the game open with his three-run double.

"It stings when position players and starters fight so hard and play their tails off when it's like [105 degrees] outside," Diekman said. "To blow the game like that, it sucks."

Bullpen can smile: The Rockies had blown three straight save chances and blown late leads in four of their previous six games. It seemed iffy in the eighth when Jake McGee gave up Beltre's popup single -- one that Wolters, who had moved from catcher to shortstop, couldn't corral -- and hit Moreland. But McGee escaped with a strikeout and two fly balls despite a two-out wild pitch.

And Adam Ottavino, who blew his first save chance as the closer Monday night, struck out the side in a spotless ninth.

"Normally, it's just another game, but we really needed this win," Ottavino said. "I want to hug everybody in here, because we could've given in like five times in that game."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Beltre passed Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio with his 1,538th career RBI on a groundout in the third inning, placing him alone at No. 47 on the all-time list. After later adding a solo home run, he needs one more RBI to tie Willie Stargell and Harry Heilmann for No. 45 on the all-time list.

UNDER REVIEW
Banister lost a challenge on a close play at first following a ground ball to Andrus that resulted in a Rockies run. Cristhian Adames hit a grounder to Andrus' right and the shortstop made a jump throw to first, but the umpires ruled Adames safe on the close play as LeMahieu scored. They confirmed the call after a replay review and the Rockies' run stayed on the board.

WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Rookie righty Jon Gray had a 0.69 ERA in the second half before surrendering eight runs in 3 2/3 innings of a loss to the Marlins at home on Sunday. That means Gray (8-5, 4.26 ERA), who has 13 quality starts out of 20 total this season, will look to rebound against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday at 5:05 p.m. MT.

Rangers: Yu Darvish will start the opener of a three-game set for the Rangers against the Tigers at 7:05 p.m. CT on Friday at Globe Life Park. Darvish (2-3, 2.78 ERA) threw a season-high seven innings while not allowing a run and striking out eight against the Astros on Sunday.