Red-hot Rockies defeat Mariners

Published 1:30 am Friday, August 7, 2020

Associated Press

SEATTLE — Daniel Murphy had a key two-run single and later hit a two-run home run, Garrett Hampson and Charlie Blackmon added solo shots, and the Colorado Rockies won for the sixth time in seven games, beating the Seattle Mariners 8-4 on Friday night.

The division-leading Rockies picked up their fifth victory in six games against the AL West.

Murphy’s hit with two outs in the sixth ended the night for Seattle starter Yusei Kikuchi and gave Colorado a 4-1 lead. The inning was kept alive by Matt Kemp’s double, despite getting fooled on the pitch from Kikuchi. Kemp reached for a pitch off the plate and dumped a double just inside the right field foul line to put runners at second and third with two outs.

Seattle allowed Kikuchi (0-1) to stay in for the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Murphy, but his slider caught too much of the plate and Murphy was able to beat the shift.

Colorado then feasted on Seattle’s shaky bullpen. Hampson hit his first home run of the season with two outs in the seventh, and Blackmon led off the eighth with his third long ball. Blackmon had three hits and leads the National League with 22.

Murphy capped his night lining the first pitch from reliever Yohan Ramriez into the right-field seats with one out in the eighth.

Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (3-0) threw six strong innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out five. Austin Nola’s two-run home run in the sixth inning cut Colorado’s lead to 4-3 and was the only big blow allowed by Senzatela.

Kikuchi allowed six hits and four runs in 5.2 innings. He threw six shutout innings in his previous start.