DENVER (AP) - Nolan Arenado thought for sure his liner to left field was gone.
Nope, hit off the top of the wall and bounced back onto the warning track.
Walkoff double. Walkoff homer. Doesn’t really matter - it was still a walkoff win for the Colorado Rockies.
Arenado hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning, lifting the Rockies to a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.
It’s the second straight game the Rockies have won in walkoff fashion, with Justin Morneau hitting a two-run homer in the 10th against San Diego on Sunday.
“Kind of got away from (walkoff hits),” cracked Carlos Gonzalez, who scored the winning run. “We’re trying to pick it up a bit.”
Just another crazy game at Coors Field.
The NL West-leading Giants took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Tyler Colvin against closer LaTroy Hawkins (2-0). But it wouldn’t last.
With Troy Tulowitzki at third and Gonzalez on first, Arenado fouled off slider after slider from closer Sergio Romo (3-1). Finally, Romo hung a 2-2 slider that Arenado caught just right. He figured it was gone and sort of went into a half-run.
The ball hit off the yellow portion of the fence and came back onto the field. Arenado started motoring toward second.
No matter, though, Gonzalez was sprinting all the way, despite a sore shin and a balky knee. He easily slid into home to help the Rockies win and pull to within two games of the Giants in the division.
Gonzalez even had a blood stain on his right knee, courtesy of his slide.
“I didn’t even know I was bleeding,” Gonzalez said. “You’re trying to do anything possible and give all you’ve got.”
Arenado hardly thought this was his night, not after hitting into a double play and flying out in his first two plate appearances. But Tulowitzki gave him a pep talk.
“Told him he was going to get a big hit and stick with it,” Tulowitzki recounted.
And Arenado did just that.
“Saw a pitch and put a good swing on it,” Arenado said of his third career walkoff hit.
It’s the second time the Giants have lost on a walkoff hit this season.
“That’s tough luck,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s a game of inches man and we just missed.”
Wilin Rosario had an RBI double and a two-run homer as he steadily regains his strength. Rosario recently missed a dozen games because of a viral infection that caused him to lose nearly 10 pounds.
Madison Bumgarner allowed three runs in six innings before being removed for a reliever. That’s the 18th straight road starts he’s surrendered three runs or less, which is the longest streak in team history as he surpassed Ed Whitson.
The left-hander was staked to a 3-1 lead, but couldn’t hold it as he gave up a tying two-run homer to Rosario in the sixth.
Bumgarner was none too pleased in the seventh when he was hit by a pitch from Rex Brothers on the leg. Bumgarner jawed at the Rockies dugout as he made his way to first base.
“Heat of the moment. Everybody was fired up,” said Bumgarner, who hit Tulowitzki in the left leg with an errant pitch earlier in the game. “It shows two teams out there that care.”
Franklin Morales was sharp after scuffing for the last month, giving up three runs over six innings in the no decision.
San Francisco took advantage of an overturned call to score three times in the fifth. After a one-out single by Brandon Crawford, Colvin laced a ball to left that appeared to drop right on the line, only to be ruled foul.
Bochy challenged the play and the call was reversed, with Colvin being awarded a double. Gregor Blanco soon followed with a two-out, two-run triple to deep center. Hunter Pence brought in Blanco with a slow roller that Tulowitzki struggled to cleanly field.
The most explosive hitting team in baseball got another weapon back with reigning NL batting champion Michael Cuddyer returning to the lineup Tuesday. He’s been out the last month with a strained left hamstring.
“Feels good to be able to get back on the field and put my pom-poms away and pick up a glove instead,” said Cuddyer, who finished 0 for 4.
NOTES: Giants OF Angel Pagan (left shoulder) and C Buster Posey (back irritation) were out of the starting lineup. … Bochy said Posey “needs a day, might need a couple.” … The Giants will throw RHP Matt Cain (1-3) on Tuesday night, while the Rockies counter with RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-2).
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