 gave up four runs - three earned - and five hits to win his second career start. Jose Alvarez and Pat Neshek each tossed a scoreless inning and Hector Neris finished for his sixth save in six tries.Ian Desmond ripped a two-run homer for Colorado. Rockies starter Jon Gray (3-4) allowed five runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.''Jon worked awful hard in the third and fourth innings,'' Rockies manager Bud Black said. ''Some pitches on the edge could've changed the whole complexion of the game.'' The NL East-leading Phillies snapped a three-game losing streak.Cesar Hernandez followed J. T. Realmuto's two-out double with a double down the left-field line, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead in the fourth.Harper's double made it 5-2 in the fifth. Gray retired the first two batters before walking MuCutchen and allowing a single to Jean Segura.Carlos Estevez replaced Gray and surrendered Harper's first RBIs since he hit a grand slam on May 7. Harper had been 4 for 29 with 15 strikeouts before the hit. He heard boos after striking out in his first two at-bats.''We're always going to keep battling,'' Harper said. ''If one guy doesn't get it done, another will.'' Desmond connected in the sixth to get the Rockies within a run but Philadelphia's bullpen preserved the lead.Irvin helped himself at the plate by drawing a 10-pitch walk in his first big-league at-bat with two outs in the third. His first start came at Kansas City. McCutchen followed with a blast out to left-center to tie it at 2-2.''That was awesome,'' Irvin said about fans rising for every pitch once he got to the sixth one. ''A really cool, unique experience.'' Irvin committed two fielding errors in the second and the Rockies took a 1-0 lead on Brendan Rodgers' fielder's choice grounder.''Cole had every opportunity to unravel in the second but he has poise,'' Kapler said.Charlie Blackmon led off the third with a double and scored on Mark Reynolds' double to make it 2-0.DON'T YOU DARERockies catcher Tony Wolters threw out two runners, McCutchen and Segura, trying to steal second base in the first inning.ROSTER MOVESRodgers, the team's top prospect, was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque and played second base, batting seventh in his first game in the majors. The Rockies optioned right-hander DJ Johnson and infielder Pat Valaika to Albuquerque and activated left-hander Jake McGee from the 10-day injured list after he recovered from a sprained left knee.TRAINER'S ROOMRockies: LHP Chris Rusin (mid-back strain) is scheduled to throw two innings for Double-A Hartford on Saturday.Phillies: INF/OF Scott Kingery (strained right hamstring) was 1 for 4 in a rehab game Friday at Double-A Reading. ... RHP Victor Arano (right elbow inflammation) threw a second bullpen session. ... RHP Vince Velasquez (right forearm strain) is expected in the next couple days.UP NEXTRHP Antonio Senzatela (3-2, 5.35 ERA) starts for the Rockies on Saturday and RHP Aaron Nola (3-0, 4.86) goes for the Phillies.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Rockies, Phillies both looking to rebound in opener With an off day to recover, the Colorado Rockies will look to rebound from an extra-innings loss and an injury to one of their best players when they open a three-game series in Philadelphia against the Phillies on Friday.The Rockies suffered a difficult 6-5, 10-inning defeat Wednesday at Boston in which shortstop Trevor Story and left fielder Raimel Tapia were injured in a collision.It's unclear if Story, who's hitting .276 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs, will play Friday."It would hurt the club because he's an All-Star player," Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters of Story. "He's a premium defender. He's an All-Star bat. It would definitely hurt. We don't know. We're crossing our fingers that he's going to be OK." Following the collision, Story was visibly limping."Just a knee bruise," he said. "I wanted to be smart and try not to put it at any more risk." Tapia appeared to be healthy, stating, "My leg is good. A little pain, everything is OK." According to multiple reports Thursday, Colorado will recall top prospect Brendan Rodgers for Friday's game, giving the team an option at shortstop if Story sits out.Rodgers, 22, was the third pick of the 2015 draft. He's hitting .356 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 35 games for Triple-A Albuquerque and has primarily played shortstop in the minors, but most of his work this season has come at second base.The Rockies, who are 20-22 after opening the season 3-12, will hand the ball to right-hander Jon Gray on Friday.Gray is 3-3 with a 4.25 ERA through eight starts. Gray is winless in his career at Citizens Bank Park and holds a 2-2 mark with a 4.40 ERA on the road this season.Last Saturday, Gray received a no-decision after allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out eight and walking one in a 4-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. But Gray said that he's far more advanced from where he was in 2018."It's night and day from last year," Gray told reporters after his previous start. "Because I actually feel like myself. I feel like I have something to go to. Last year, I didn't have it." The Phillies didn't have it in the final three games against the Milwaukee Brewers as they were outscored 22-6 in the three losses following a series-opening win.One lone bright spot in Thursday's 11-3 loss was Jean Segura blasting a home run to left field to extend his hitting streak to seven. The Phillies had only four hits in the eight-run defeat."I don't think you can flip a switch and start hitting home runs," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told the media after the game. "I think we can examine ourselves as a group." The schedule doesn't get any easier with an improved Colorado team."We have to play very good baseball to beat teams like Milwaukee and Colorado," Kapler said. "We have no margin for error." The Phillies will give the ball to Cole Irvin (1-0, 1.29 ERA) for his second start of the season. Irvin was terrific in his major league debut last Sunday at Kansas City, tossing seven strong innings and allowing five hits and one run in a 6-1 victory."He earned the opportunity to get additional looks," Kapler said of Irvin.Irvin struck out five and walked just one batter."Man, that was fun," Irvin told reporters. "Big (six-run) inning in the fifth and allowing (catcher) J. T. Realmuto to take me for a ride." --Field Level Media
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