Brenton Doyle hit a two-run homer and Austin Gomber tossed seven strong innings to help the Colorado Rockies notch a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night at Denver.
Ryan McMahon reached base four times on three hits and a walk and had the other RBI as Colorado won a third straight game for the second time this season. The Rockies won seven straight games in May.
Doyle reached base three times and is 11-for-17 over the last five games.
Vinnie Pasquantino homered and Hunter Renfroe had three hits for the Royals, who have lost three straight games and four of their past five.
Gomber (2-5) allowed one run and six hits over seven innings. He struck out three and walked none.
Gomber was 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA over his past six starts.
Tyler Kinley worked a scoreless eighth before Victor Vodnik escaped trouble in the ninth and posted his first career save.
Renfroe hit a bloop single into left center with one out and Freddy Fermin drew a two-out walk. Vodnik then induced pinch hitter Michael Massey to ground out to first to give Colorado its second win in two nights against the Royals.
Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (11-3) gave up three runs (two earned) and five hits in six innings. The potential American League starting pitcher for the upcoming All-Star Game struck out five and walked two.
Colorado struck first in the second inning, beginning when Brendan Rodgers reached on a throwing error by Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia. Doyle came up and drilled a 1-1 slider over the wall in right center. It was his fourth homer in five games and 11th of the season.
The Rockies tacked on a run in the fifth as Sam Hilliard reached on a bunt single and stole second. With two out, McMahon singled to center to score Hilliard and make it 3-0.
Kansas City got on the board with two outs in the sixth when Pasquantino slugged a 434-foot homer to center. It was his 11th of the season.
–Field Level Media
