Montgomery gets little support in return to rotation
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DENVER -- Jordan Montgomery made his return to the rotation Tuesday night against the Rockies after not making a start since Aug. 21, when he was moved to the bullpen. There may have been some rust as he climbed the hill at Coors Field, but it would have taken a masterpiece to match Rockies righty Ryan Feltner as the D-backs fell, 8-2, and clinched a rare series loss to Colorado.
Montgomery threw 79 pitches, 50 for strikes, but he lasted only 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four.
The loss dropped the D-backs into a tie with the Mets for the final two National League Wild Card spots, two games ahead of the Braves and three games back of the top Wild Card spot held by the Padres, pending San Diego's result vs. the Astros on Tuesday night.
The Rockies took the lead on back-to-back doubles to open the second. Michael Toglia led off with a double on what looked like a routine fly on the right-field grass. Neither second baseman Luis Guillorme, first baseman Christian Walker nor right fielder Corbin Carroll seemed to see the ball, losing it in the twilight as it dropped between the three of them. Jacob Stallings plated Toglia with a double to right and came around to score on a two-out double to left from Jordan Beck.
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In the third, Ezequiel Tovar knocked a solo homer to right, his second round-tripper in as many games to extend the lead to 3-0.
The D-backs bullpen ended up yielding five runs, with Scott McGough giving up two runs in his first inning since Aug. 10 and Blake Walston giving up three runs (two earned) in the eighth.
Arizona managed just two runs on six hits, matching its run total from the previous night in the hitter-friendly park.