After Odor and Profar both moved into scoring position with a double steal, Elvis Andrus tied the game with a two-run single.
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Elvis Andrus hit a two-run single off Estevez, Mitch Moreland delivered a tiebreaking double and the Texas Rangers scored three times in the ninth to beat the Rockies 4-3 on Monday night. It happened today? OK, tomorrow is a new day. “I was just trying to get the barrel to it, and I was able to keep it inside the line”.
Andrus followed with a two-run single up the middle on Estevez’s 90 miles per hour changeup on a 2-1 count. Moreland sent Andrus home with a double off Boone Logan before getting thrown out stretching at third.
As for alternatives to Estevez, Adam Ottavino was the closer early previous year when his season ended with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery May 7, 2015.
On Friday, Estevez gave up four runs in the ninth to blow a save as the Rockies fell 5-3 to the Miami Marlins.
In the aftermath of this one, Colorado manager Walt Weiss wouldn’t talk about the closer’s job going forward.
The poor bullpen work spoiled another strong outing by rookie lefty Tyler Anderson, who allowed a run on just two hits in seven innings. Offensively, Carlos Gonzalez leads Colorado with 133 hits, DJ LeMahieu has 40 RBI and Nolan Arenado has 30 home runs.
However, because the veteran slugger did not register an official at bat on Monday against the Rangers, his 17-game hit streak will remain intact going forward.
The Rockies needed the slugging after Carlos Gonzalez exited the game in the first inning with left ankle inflammation.
“During the warmup I started feeling a little tight”, Gonzalez said. “I think he probably feels good enough to play”.
The Colorado Rockies could use a win after losing four of their last five games. The teams conclude a two-game series in Colorado on Tuesday before heading to Texas to begin another two-game set Wednesday.
Prior to his two blown saves, Estevez had allowed two runs in 12 innings since being named the closer with 18 strikeouts and six walks.
Anderson gave up one hit through six scoreless innings before Adrian Beltre homered to center field on his first pitch of the seventh, cutting Colorado’s lead to 2-1. They had runners at the corners with two outs, but Adam Ottavino struck out Jonathan Lucroy.
David Dahl got his first at-bat of the game in the bottom of the ninth because he entered the game as a late-game defensive replacement.
Charlie Blackmon had an RBI single in the third. Arenado, who leads the National League in home runs (30) and RBIs (89), homered in the fourth and hit an RBI single in the eighth off victor Keone Kela (3-1).
The Rangers lead the majors with 25 one-run victories, and they won for the fifth time this season when trailing after the eighth.
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Moreland provided the decisive hit off the right-field wall in the ninth. Beltran left Saturday’s game with a left quadriceps strain but did pinch hit Sunday and Monday. Upon leaving the interleague contest prematurely, Gonzalez was replaced in the Rockies’ lineup by fellow outfielder Gerardo Parra. In eight starts at Coors Field, Anderson is 5-1 with a 3.04 ERAAdam Ottavino relieved Anderson and gave up a single and a walk.
