By WARREN MAYES Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael Toglia and Charlie Blackmon each drove in a run on Thursday night and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the first of a four-game series.
Cal Quantrill (5-4) did not give up a run despite walking four and allowing three hits in five innings.
“I wasn’t very good today, honestly,” Quantrill said. “I battled. I got it done. The job as a starter is to do more than I got. I pitched to win today. I wasn’t proud of everything but I kept them off the board.”
Tyler Kinley allowed a single but struck out Nolan Gorman to end the game and pick up his third save.
“I had to go and attack the lefty,” Kinley said. “I think that might have been the first time I faced Gorman. He’s such a great hitter. He’s looking to try and slug something and I used that to my advantage and went after him with my strengths.”
Toglia, playing in right field, also robbed Matt Carpenter of a home run in the fifth when he jumped and caught the ball over the fence.
“That’s one of the best catches, actually, it’s the best catch I’ve ever had in the outfield,” said Toglia, who was recalled earlier in the day. “I’m logging that one in my personal highlight reel.”
Manager Bud Black liked Toglia’s performance.
“We’re going to watch that one for a long time,” Black said about the catch. “But I’m just as impressed by the base hit up the middle and he put the ball in play with a man on third and got a run in there. A good all-around game for Michael.”
Sonny Gray (7-4) lasted 4 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, who stranded 10 runners and have dropped five of their past seven games after going on a 12-3 run. He allowed just two hits but he walked four and threw two wild pitches. He recorded five strikeouts in throwing 89 pitches.
“I’m trending in the wrong direction,” Gray said. “I’ve got to come up with a plan and get back on track. Off the top of my head, I feel like I’ve got to go back to the basics.”
The Rockies, who had just four hits, went up 1-0 in the third after an inning ending double play call was overturned. Jake Cave, who walked with one out and went to third on a single by Toglia, scored when Blackmon beat the throw to first base.
The Rockies got to Gray in the fifth inning when he allowed a hit and walked three while throwing two wild pitches. Brenton Doyle led off with a single and stole second and third. Cave singled and stole second. Doyle scored on a ground out to first by Toglia with Cave taking third. He came home on a wild pitch by Gray, making it 3-0.
“He didn’t have command of his fastball throughout the game,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said.
St. Louis touched reliever Matt Carasiti for two runs in the sixth. Gorman scored on a throwing error by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Michael Siani hit a two-out RBI single.
TRANSACTIONS
Rockies: Recalled INF/OF Greg Jones and INF/OF Toglia from Triple-A Albuquerque.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: INF/OF Kris Bryant (left rib contusion) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 3. He bumped into a wall making a catch Sunday at Dodger Stadium and then missed the three-game series against the Reds. … OF Sean Bouchard (right ankle sprain) has been placed on the 10-day injured list. He left Wednesday’s game in the eighth inning against Cincinnati after landing wrong in a play at first base.
Cardinals: C Willson Contreras (fractured left forearm) has a CT scan scheduled for Friday. He will be allowed to begin hitting if it shows progress in healing. … LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) was scheduled to pitch two innings and throw 45 pitches Thursday for Triple-A Memphis. He last pitched for the Cardinals on April 30.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (1-3, 3.06 ERA) lost his last start, allowing three runs on five hits in a season-low three innings against the Dodgers.
Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.23) allowed four unearned runs in four innings in his last start at Philadelphia.
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