At Salt River Fields at Talking Sticks Tuesday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies warmed up for their opening spring training game. The National League champions and division rivals from the previous season, the Arizona Diamondbacks, were their opponents. A 3-0 victory over one of the Rockies’ biggest opponents is still possible, even if we don’t see every starter in the starting lineup. Today at 3:05 EST and 3:10 EST, respectively, two Rockies teams will play the Oakland Athletics and the Arizona Diamondbacks. We’ll see the Rockies’ spring training record rise to 3-0 if both Colorado clubs win today. Let’s examine the process by which the Rockies achieved this historic victory.
Rockies Win 3-0 Against the D-Backs
Colorado could strike out 16 batters in total, with seven Rockies pitchers in action. The Rockies’ Carson Palmquist got the start, and in two innings, he struck out four batters and gave up just one hit and one walk. Following a single by Ketel Marte in the opening at-bat of the game, Joc Pederson was finally walked by Palmquist. Before Chance Adams was on the mound in the fourth inning, Jeff Criswell entered the game and pitched the whole third inning. Criswell also recorded two outs. Criswell struck out three batters in his three innings pitched while giving up just one hit and two walks.
The first run of the game was scored by Rockies designated hitter Elehuris Montero in the bottom of the fourth inning. In order to accomplish this, he launched a 449-foot solo home run to left field on a 1-0 count. With runners on first and second one inning later, Rockies catcher Drew Romo blasted a single into the gap in right field, scoring teammate shortstop Alan Trejo. Pitching one and a third inning, Chance Adams struck out two batters and gave up one hit. Evan Justice took his place, and although he only pitched one complete inning, he gave up one hit and two strikeouts.
Palmquist Should be This Matchup’s Player of the Game
Tossed in the final three innings were Matt Koch, Riley Pint, and Gavin Hollowell. Combining for five strikeouts, the three of them gave up only one hit. The seventh inning’s bottom saw Colorado’s last run score. First baseman Grant Lavigne, a teammate of Jordan Beck’s, scored when Beck’s double went far. In the process, seven Rockies pitchers gave up five hits in a decisive victory as the Rockies won their opening spring training game of the 2024 season, 3-0. With seven singles and a fielding error, Colorado scored three runs.
Following a fantastic start against the National League Pennant winners from the previous season, Carson Palmquist ought to be named this game’s Player of the Game. With the most strikeouts of any Rockies pitcher that day, Palmquist’s two innings of relief were excellent, allowing just one hit and four runs. Ketel Marte may lead off with a single, but Carson could pitch the entire game and showcase the potential of this 2024 Rockies squad.
