Díaz's walk-off homer lifts Rockies over Cardinals, 5-2
DENVER (AP) - Elías Díaz hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Colorado Rockies a rain-delayed 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night, spoiling Nolan Arenado´s return to Coors Field.
Arenado went hitless in four at-bats in his first game in Denver since Colorado traded him to St. Louis in the offseason. He popped out to first in his first two trips to the plate and grounded out in his last two.
Díaz turned on an 0-2 slider from reliever Giovanny Gallegos (5-2) to end it.
Brendan Rodgers also homered and Daniel Bard (4-4) got the win in relief for the Rockies, who have won four straight.
Gallegos retired the first two batters to start the ninth and had Díaz in a hole before he hit one 424 feet into the seats in left. It was the first walk-off homer of his career and his fifth of the season.
Rodgers gave Colorado a 2-1 lead with a two-run shot the second inning, his fifth of the season.
Colorado Rockies' Elias Diaz celebrates after his game-ending, three-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. The Rockies won 5-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Paul Goldschmidt, who has hit well against the Rockies, hit his 26th career homer against them to tie it in the third. It was his 12th of the season.
Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright extended his mastery of Colorado. In 17 games - 13 starts - he has a 1.72 career ERA against the Rockies, and at Coors Field he has a 2.42 ERA in seven games, six starts.
Wainwright kept up his workhorse trend with 110 pitches, eclipsing the 100-pitch mark for the fourth straight game and ninth time this season. He retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced to keep the game tied.
Antonio Senzatela nearly match him, going seven strong innings before turning it over to the Colorado bullpen.
The start of the game was delayed 58 minutes due to rain.
TRAINER´S ROOM
Cardinals: OF Harrison Bader was activated from the 10-day injured list and started in center field. St. Louis optioned outfielder Lars Nootbaar to Triple-A Memphis. Bader missed 34 games with a right rib hairline fracture sustained diving to attempt to catch a line drive May 24 at the Chicago White Sox.
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (left hamstring) is still on track to make his scheduled start Saturday, manager Bud Black said. Freeland left Monday´s outing when his hamstring tightened up running the bases.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Johan Oviedo (0-4, 5.23 ERA) will face Colorado RHP Chi Chi González (2-5, 5.81) in the second of a four-game series on Friday night.
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Colorado Rockies' Elias Diaz follows through on a three-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. The Rockies won 5-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Elias Diaz celebrates as he heads up the first base line after hitting a three-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. The Rockies won 5-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos heads off the field after giving up a three-run home run to Colorado Rockies' Elias Diaz during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. The Rockies won 5-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Elias Diaz gestures to teammates to clear a path so he can cross home plate after hitting a game-winning, three-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. The Rockies won 5-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Tommy Edman catches a pop fly by Colorado Rockies' Trevor Story to end the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' C.J. Cron, left, congratulates Brendan Rodgers, who crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright works against the Colorado Rockies during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado pops out against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, back, forces out St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong on a ground ball hit by Harrison Bader during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals' Tyler O'Neill watches his infield single off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, right, congratulates Paul Goldschmidt, who had hit a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
