Colorado Rockies Win In Oakland Behind Jorge De La Rosa’s Strong Start

Jun 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa (29) pitches the ball against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies evened up their three-game series with the Oakland Athletics with a Tuesday night victory, triggering a rubber match Wednesday. 

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Jorge De La Rosa tossed seven scoreless innings, and the Colorado Rockies scored just enough and held on late to win the pitcher’s duel, defeated the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Tuesday night at O.Co Coliseum in Oakland.

De La Rosa was to have been matched up with Sonny Gray, Oakland’s ace, but the hurler had the flu and was eventually hospitalized for the sickness, missing his start and causing Chris Bassitt to be recalled to make a spot start for Oakland.

Bassett did admirably — one run in five innings of work — but it wasn’t enough to defeat De La Rosa, who had one of the best starts of the season on Tuesday night.

De La Rosa scattered four hits and four walks over seven innings, holding Oakland scoreless and winning his fifth game of the year, lowering his ERA to 4.59 in the process. He struck out four A’s hitters on 104 pitches (61 strikes) in the duel.

De La Rosa benefitted from Charlie Blackmon‘s RBI single that scored Ben Paulsen in the fifth inning, and the Rockies took a 1-0 lead late into the game.

In the top of the seventh, Wilin Rosario scored a run on a wild pitch, which turned out to be critical for the Rockies as an insurance run. In the bottom of the eighth, Tommy Kahnle gave up an RBI single to Billy Butler, but otherwise worked out of his jam and held the lead at 2-1.

LaTroy Hawkins threw a scoreless ninth inning for the save, as he’s closing games with the absence of John Axford this week.

The Rockies and A’s play again Wednesday afternoon, wrapping up their three-game series before the Rox travel on to Arizona for a four-game series against the Diamondbacks.

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