German Marquez shines as Rockies pull off gritty 3-2 win vs. the Reds
Victor Vodnik beat his chest, mouthed some choice words, and received a celebratory hug from catcher Hunter Goodman. Why not? Vodnik had just closed out the Rockies’ grittiest victory of their difficult season. After giving up a leadoff double, Vodnik struck out TJ Friedl, Matt McLain, intentionally walked the dangerous Elly De La Cruz, and then fanned cleanup hitter Austin Hayes to close out a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night at Great American Ball Park. Colorado (22-72) fanned 16 times, which is usually a death knell. But its pitchers struck out the Red 13 times, including whiffing Hays four times — each time to end an inning. The Rockies had multiple heroes, most especially starter German Marquez and third baseman Ryan McMahon, both of whom are the subject of trade rumors. Colorado cobbled together the winning run in the eighth, combining a one-out walk by Hunter Goodman, a single to center by Jordan Beck, and a two-out infield single by McMahon to load the bases. Goodman scored on a wild pitch by reliever Tony Santillan, who overcooked a slider. Cincinnati tied the game, 2-2, in the seventh inning off reliever Jake Bird. A leadoff single by Will Benson, a double by Noelvi Marte and an RBI groundout by Friedl knotted the game. Bird was in serious trouble, but he hung tough and struck out Hays for the third out. Colorado took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on McMahon’s two-run homer off Reds starter Chase Burns. McMahon’s 13th homer came on a first-pitch curveball from the right-hander. McMahon drove the ball 414 feet. McMahon, a streaky hitter, entered Friday’s game hitting 7 for 56 (.125) with 23 strikeouts over his last 16 games. “That big homer from ‘Mac’ early on was good to see,” manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Cincinnati. “I know that’s a great big weight lifted off his shoulders, for sure.” Marquez, in the final months of his contract and considered a prime trade candidate as the July 31 deadline approaches, conjured up visions of his 2021 All-Star season. The right-hander’s fastball was on point early, and his knuckle curve tied the Reds up as the game went on. Marquez pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits with three walks (one intentional) and eight strikeouts. Asked about key Marquez performing well as the trade deadline nears, Schaeffer said: “I don’t know what he was thinking, but he was all in for the team tonight. I expect nothing less from him. But everybody who is on the trade rumor block, they all got after it. I don’t even know what to say about that.” Related Articles Former Rockies player DJ LeMahieu cut by Yankees with nearly $22 million left on contract Rockies humbled, 10-2, as red-hot Red Sox finish three-game sweep Rockies Mailbag: Is Thad Levine the fix to Colorado’s front office? Rockies 2025 MLB mock draft tracker: What national experts predict Colorado will do Rockies — 50 games under .500 — blown out by Red Sox as Brayan Bello pitches complete game Marquez’s only mistake was a curveball low in the zone that Marte, the No. 9 hitter, put a barrel on and drove it to left field for a leadoff homer in the third to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead. Marquez escaped trouble in the first by inducing Hayes to ground into an inning-ending double play. But the strikeout was Marquez’s best weapon. He struck out Benson to end the second, struck out Hayes to end the third after De La Cruz hit a two-out triple on a sinking liner that left fielder Brenton Doyle dove for and missed. In the fifth, after issuing walks to Friedl and De La Cruz (again, intentionally), he fanned Hays. Marquez has a 5.57 ERA, but has a 3.25 ERA with 50 strikeouts vs. 15 walks over his last 10 starts. Saturday’s pitching matchup Rockies RHP Bradley Blaylock (0-2, 12.94 ERA) at Reds RHP Brady Singer (7-7, 4.32) 2:10 p.m. Saturday, Great American Ball Park TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region). Radio: 850 AM, 94.1 FM Trending: Although Tyler Freeman went hitless Friday night, he walked in the third inning, extending his career-best on-base streak to 24 games, the longest active on-base streak in the majors. Freeman’s streak is Colorado’s longest since Elehuris Montero’s 26-game on-base streak Aug. 14 to Sept. 18, 2023. Pitching probables Sunday: Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (0-2, 5.92) at Reds RHP Nick Martinez (6-9, 4.85) 11:40 a.m. Monday-Thursday: All-Star break — Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
