Five Unanswered Runs Result in Rockies Win

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- The Rockies spoiled a solid display by NoCo's starter to secure a series win over the Owlz.

In the end, the Owlz (13-19) outhit Grand Junction (19-16). But a 5-2 Rockies win gives them four of five so far in this set. In turn, it gives the Owlz their fourth series loss of the season. All four of them have come on the road.

Kida De La Cruz (L, 3-2) cranked out five innings on the mound for the Owlz. The formidable Floridian fanned four batters compared to just two walks. De La Cruz especially cruised through the first few innings, retiring nine of the first 11 batters he saw.

Rockies starter Jacob Wesselmann worked well for while too, but NoCo broke through in the third. Zach West walked for his second plate appearance in a row. Kevin Higgins doinked a dribbling infield single. Cameron Phelts forced his way on after a seven-pitch walk.

With a parliament of Owlz packing the bases, Brandon Crosby's cracked-bat single cracked the scoreboard. His floating liner found his team a two-run lead.

But Grand Junction gradually gained momentum, mounting and maintaining a lead by scoring five unanswered.

De La Cruz coughed up two runs off solo homers. A wild pitch plated another one. Even so, he pitched pretty efficiently. He only threw seven pitches in the third. Same thing in the fourth, despite one of those dingers. But a 24-pitch fifth inning finished his outing.

Against the impending Owlz relievers, the Rockies finished the job. They thumped three hits against Tyshaun Chapman and drew a walk out of Kyle Adkins to tack on two insurance runs they didn't end up needing.

Chapman did get both of his outs by strikeout. Adkins actually left the bases loaded after his short sixth-inning stint. Austin Schneider struck out two of the eight batters he saw, leaving both looking.

So even on an afternoon where the Rockies struck out 11, their eighth double-digit K day against these Owlz, NoCo pitchers kept pace. They allowed fewer hits, but when they fell, they were far more consequential.

As for the Owlz offense, four batters poked a pair of hits. Problem was not even one of them went for extra bases. Not for those four. Not for any other Owlz.

Saturday seems like an offensive outlier, to some extent. A game after scoring 10 runs off 14 hits, the Owlz scored just two on Sunday. Make it seven of the last 10 games in which NoCo couldn't get five runs across. They've lost eight of those 10 games.

These rivals wrap up their second series of the season on a festive Monday afternoon in Grand Junction. A patriotic first pitch for the Fourth is set for 4:05 p.m. from Suplizio Field.