The Colorado Rockies were in search of a return to some form of normalcy on the heels of a wild four-game split with the San Diego Padres in which they scored 48 runs and allowed 44.
Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Antonio Senzatela helped give the Rockies exactly that.
Arenado homered and drove in three, Senzatela pitched one-run ball into the seventh inning and the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 Tuesday night.
Blackmon stayed hot with three hits, though he admitted to feeling less than 100 percent after the taxing San Diego series. The Rockies (39-35) took over second place in the NL West, a game up on the Diamondbacks, with their sixth straight win against Arizona.
“I feel like I’m doing a good job of not trying to do too much,” Blackmon said. “My best approach is usually to see it, hit it.”
Senzatela (6-5) equaled his longest outing of the season with 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
“He was the key to game,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Senzatela. “‘Senza’ restored order. That was critical. This was in my opinion a big game.”
The Rockies took a 2-0 lead on Arenado’s high drive into the left field seats off Arizona’s Merrill Kelly (7-7) with two out in the first. It scored Blackmon, who led off the game with a double down the right field line.
“I’m just glad he’s on our team,” Arenado said of Blackmon. “Our offense goes as he goes, I’ve always said that.”
Blackmon has reached base in 28 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the National League. He was named NL Player of the Week on Monday after getting 21 hits last week, and he’s the first player in Rockies history with at least three hits in five consecutive games.
Jarrod Dyson bunted over Senzatela’s head for a base hit to lead off the fifth, took third on a single and scored on David Peralta’s fielder’s choice to make it 2-1. But the Rockies took control in the top of the sixth with four runs.
Arenado doubled in David Dahl, and after Daniel Murphy reached on catcher’s interference, Ryan McMahon doubled to right field to drive in two runs.
McMahon sprinted home on a wild pitch before the inning ended, giving the Rockies a 6-1 lead.
Ian Desmond’s single in the fourth extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Desmond and Dahl drove in single runs in the seventh.
Kelly was charged with five earned runs and eight hits in six innings, striking out five. He had won his past three starts.
The Diamondbacks fell to 14-17 at home this season.
“I can’t explain it,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought we were in a decent position. I thought we did a good enough job of it but that four-run sixth really took the wind of us.”
ROCKIES MOVE
Colorado called up infielder Pat Valaika from Triple-A Albuquerque and designated pitcher Mike Dunn for assignment. Dunn had been with the Rockies since 2017 and made 121 appearances. “It was emotional,” Black said. “Mike understood all elements of the decision.”
THAT ROX
The Rockies got their 2,000 win as a franchise.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (6-5, 4.39 earned run average) is set for his second start against Arizona this season Wednesday. He’s 2-3 in eight career starts against the Diamondbacks with both wins at Chase Field.
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (8-2, 2.65) goes into Wednesday’s start having not allowed a run over his last 13 1/3 innings.
AROUND THE MAJORS TUESDAY
–The New York Yankees have padded their lead in the AL East by beating the second-place Tampa Bay Rays for the second consecutive night. The Yanks were 6-3 winners on Tuesday as Edwin Encarnación went deep for his first hit with New York. Cameron Maybin extended his home run streak to a career-high four games with a seventh-inning blast. Maybin also stretched the Yankees’ homer streak to 21 games as he battles to maintain a roster spot. Gary Sanchez had two RBIs and J.A. Happ gave up two runs over five innings as the Bombers moved 2 ½ games ahead of Tampa Bay. Giancarlo Stanton played right field and went 0-for-4 in his return from the injured list.
_ Max Kepler provided the biggest hits in the Twins’ 4-3 win over the Red Sox, lacing a walk-off, RBI single in the 17th after knotting the score with a 13th-inning homer. Kepler also delivered in the eighth as his two-out single to left field tied the game at 2. It was the longest game ever at Minnesota’s Target Field and allowed the Twins to maintain their 10-game lead in the AL Central.
_ Jesse Winker and Derek Dietrich homered off Justin Verlander in the first inning to jumpstart the Reds’ 4-3 win against the Astros. Kyle Farmer added a round-tripper in the seventh off Verlander, who has given up three homers in each of his last two starts. Anthony DeSclafani gave up a run and six hits while pitching into the sixth inning to remain unbeaten this month.
_ The White Sox pulled out a 3-1 win over the Cubs on a tiebreaking, two-run homer by Eloy Jiménez off Pedro Strop in the ninth inning. Four White Sox relievers combined for four scoreless innings after starter Iván Nova limited the Cubs to one run and four hits. Kyle Schwarber connected for his 16th homer and Cole Hamels pitched seven innings of six-hit ball, but the Cubs lost for the fourth time in five games.
_ Left-hander Logan Allen was brilliant in his major league debut, limiting the Brewers to three hits over seven scoreless innings of the Padres’ 4-1 victory. Allen struck out the side in his last inning and was backed by three double plays. Francisco Mejia belted a two-run home run and Manny Machado added an RBI double as San Diego handed Brandon Woodruff just his second loss in 10 decisions this season.
_ The Dodgers crushed the Giants, 9-0 as Clayton Kershaw combined with two relievers on a four-hitter. Kershaw allowed three hits, struck out six and walked two to move to 7-1 this season. Enriquè Hernàndez launched a pinch-hit grand slam to highlight a six-run seventh.
_ Jacob deGrom came within two outs of a complete game and rookie Pete Alonso reached base six times as the Mets hammered the Braves, 10-2. DeGrom struck out 10 and carried a three-hit shutout into the ninth before Freddie Freeman and Josh Donaldson hit back-to-back homers to end his night. Alonso hit one of the Mets’ three home runs and was 4-for-4 with two walks and three RBIs in New York’s second win in six games.
_ Rookie Jordan Yamamoto stifled the Cardinals for the second time in as many big league starts, allowing two hits over seven innings of the Marlins’ 6-0 shutout. He gave up three hits over seven frames in his major league debut, on June 12 in Miami against the Cardinals. Brian Anderson and Starlin Castro homered for the Marlins.
_ Rookie Zach Plesac allowed only one run and two hits pitching into the eighth inning of the Indians’ 10-3 pounding of the Rangers. Cleveland hit three consecutive home runs for the first time in 15 years as Jake Bauers, Roberto Perez and Tyler Naquin went deep against Drew Smyly during a five-pitch span of the seventh. Jose Ramirez smashed a three-run homer in the third for the Indians.
_ Khris Davis, Robbie Grossman and Stephen Piscotty homered in a 10-run sixth that highlighted the Athletics’ 16-2 thrashing of the Orioles. Ramón Laureano, Chad Pinder and Beau Taylor also homered as the A’s set a season-high with six. Brett Anderson allowed one earned run and four hits in seven innings, blanking Baltimore until Jonathan Villar homered in the fifth.
_ A botched double play attempt allowed Nicholas Castellanos to score the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning and give the Tigers a 5-4 win over the Pirates. Miguel Cabrera had two hits in his first start at first base since May 31 as Detroit beat the Pirates for just the second time in their last 10 meetings. Josh Bell belted his 20th home run for Pittsburgh.
_ Kole Calhoun and Brian Goodwin hit solo homers to support Tyler Skaggs in the Angels’ 3-1 victory at Toronto. Skaggs held the Blue Jays to a run and three hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings. Luis Rengifo had two hits as Los Angeles improved to 5-0 versus the Jays this season.
_ The Royals rode Whit Merrifield’s two homers and career-high six RBIs to a 9-0 thumping of the Mariners. Homer Bailey allowed just one runner past second base and fanned six over 7 2/3 innings. Jorge Soler also homered and rookie Nicky Lopez had three hits for Kansas City.
_ The Phillies and Nationals were postponed by rain in Washington for the second straight day. The game will be made up on Sept. 24 as part of a day-night doubleheader. Monday’s game was already rescheduled as the front end of a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday. The rainout leaves the Phils 2 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Braves.