Rays 8, Rockies 3
DENVER -- The Tampa Bay Rays rode three-run rallies in the first and sixth innings to an 8-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday at Coors Field.
A second passed ball by catcher Wilin Rosario contributed to the two runs the Rays tacked on in the eighth, and Tampa Bay took two of three in the weekend series.
James Loney had three hits for Tampa Bay, and Kelly Johnson, Ryan Roberts and Desmond Jennings each had two. Johnson, Roberts and Jose Lobaton drove in two runs apiece.
Rays starter Alex Cobb, pitching in a National League ballpark for the first time, gave up solo homers to Michael Cuddyer, Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado among his eight hits but just the three runs. Cobb (4-2) threw 6 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out six.
Opening Day starter Jhoulys Chacin rejoined the Colorado rotation and pitched a season-high seven innings. Chacin (3-1) had not pitched since April 19 due to a back strain that caused him to go on the disabled list and miss two starts. He fought his way through a 23-pitch first when the Rays parlayed three singles, a walk and a wild pitch into three runs.
Chacin walked Matt Joyce to open the sixth. With one out, Loney hit a hard liner off the glove of second baseman Josh Rutledge, who made an error in the second, for a hit on a ball that could have been caught. Johnson hit a broken-bat single to short right-center, scoring Joyce to put the Rays ahead 4-2.
Rosario was charged with his first passed ball with Roberts batting, putting runners on second and third, and both scored when Roberts doubled to left past a drawn-in infield.
In the eighth, Colorado reliever Josh Outman allowed a leadoff walk and a single before Rosario had a high pitch glance off his glove, moving the runners into scoring position. Both came home on Lobaton's single.
Cuddyer belted his seventh homer in the second, giving him at least one hit, one RBI and one run in five straight games. Tulowitzki led off the fourth with his seventh homer, trimming the Rays' lead to 3-2.
Arenado connected in the seventh, ending Cobb's workday at 107 pitches, 71 of them strikes. It was the third homer for Arenado in his seven major league games. He hit his first grand slam Saturday night.
The Rockies have homered in 24 of their 31 games, and only once have they failed to hit a home run in consecutive games. That was April 23 while being swept by the Atlanta Braves in a split doubleheader.
NOTES: The Rockies activated Chacin and 1B Todd Helton (left forearm strain) from the 15-day disabled list. To make room for them, Colorado optioned 1B/3B Ryan Wheeler and RHP Tyler Chatwood to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Helton went 1-for-4 but struck out in the eighth against Joel Peralta after the first two batters Peralta faced singled. ... The Rays played without INF/OF Ben Zobrist and SS Yunel Escobar. Zobrist left the team Sunday following the death Friday night of his grandmother. Rays manager Joe Maddon said Zobrist is expected to rejoin the team Tuesday. Zobrist was not placed on the bereavement list, since that requires a player to miss a minimum of three days. Maddon said Escobar didn't sleep well after being hit on the left hand with a pitch Saturday night. X-rays were negative, and Escobar is expected to return Wednesday. ... Rockies CF Dexter Fowler returned to the lineup. He came out of Friday night's game in the fifth inning with right hip flexor soreness after swerving to avoid a collision at first base while trying to bunt for a hit.
