By DENNIS GEORGATOS Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Pinch-hitter Sam Hilliard tied the score with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Brenton Doyle delivered a game-winning single in the 10th as the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 on Saturday night.
Michael Toglia homered, Charlie Blackmon had three hits and Doyle drove in three runs for the last-place Rockies, who took their second consecutive game from Chicago.
Cody Bellinger and Pete Crow-Armstrong each hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who are six games behind the Braves and Mets for the third NL wild card.
The Rockies trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, and their first two batters struck out against reliever Porter Hodge. But then Hunter Goodman drew a walk to bring up Hilliard, who was batting for Jordan Beck.
“He obviously pitched to two great hitters,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Goodman had a good at-bat to work a walk. And Hilliard, give him credit. I don’t think he’s given up a homer to a left-handed hitter this year.”
Hilliard took the first pitch for a ball before driving the next one over the right-center fence and into the Rockies’ bullpen to tie it. It was his fifth career pinch-hit homer and his eighth overall this season. “The main thing I was telling myself is, just be relaxed,” Hilliard said. “Just put a good at-bat together. If you just touch the ball, it’s gonna go, so I was trying to get on that guy’s fastball because it was playing up and had a little bit of cut to it. He just threw it right there, right in the middle of the plate, and I put a good swing on it. It’s a good feeling.”
Doyle’s clean single to left field off Drew Smyly (3-8) in the 10th scored automatic runner Aaron Schunk to end it.
“I wanted a pitch up in the zone, and he threw me a curveball up in the zone that started up and I just put a good swing on it,” Doyle said. “I didn’t want to beat anything into the ground, so I knew to elevate something a little bit, and that’s what I did.”
Tyler Kinley (6-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Jameson Tallion went six innings and allowed two runs, but the Cubs’ bullpen could not preserve the lead for him.
Chicago led 2-0 when Bellinger started the fourth by driving a 91 mph sinker from Kyle Freeland into the right-field seats behind the out-of-town scoreboard for his 18th home run. He just missed a second homer, driving a flyball to straightaway center in the sixth that Doyle caught at the wall.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: LHP Justin Steele, on the 15-day injured list with elbow tendinitis, could be on the verge of rejoining the rotation after another strong bullpen session Saturday. “Everything went well,” Counsell said. “He felt good, threw all his pitches. It was very positive.” Barring a setback, Steele could be reinstated within a week.
Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela is scheduled to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Monday night against Arizona. It will be his first appearance since May 10, 2023, when he left a start against Pittsburgh early. He later underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Senzatela made five starts at Double-A Hartford as part of a rehab assignment ahead of his return to the Rockies. “He’s really super confident physically and I think that’s the most important thing,” manager Bud Black said. “We’re going to monitor him. We’re hopeful he can go four or five innings.”
UP NEXT
Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-11, 6.51 ERA) is set to start Sunday’s series finale against RHP Cal Quantrill (8-9, 4.63), who is scheduled to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list after recovering from right triceps inflammation.
