In Denver, the Colorado Rockies edged the Texas Rangers 7-6 at Coors Field after an early injury to Texas starter MacKenzie Gore. The game featured clutch doubles from Ezequiel Tovar, big nights from rookies Justin Foscue and Ezequiel Duran, and key relief work from Juan Mejia in the ninth. Managers and bullpens were tested as the score swung back and forth, leaving fans on their feet until the final out.
Texas handed the ball to MacKenzie Gore, who opened by giving up a leadoff double to Willi Castro. Brenton Doyle and TJ Rumfield drew walks to load the bases and then Ezequiel Tovar ripped a two-run double with one out, putting the Rockies on the board early. That play set the tone for an inning where Colorado made timely contact and pressured the Texas rotation right away.
Gore had to hustle defensively, diving at a swinging bunt from Jake McCarthy that reloaded the bases in a tense moment. He battled on, striking out Kyle Karros and getting rookie Sterlin Thompson to ground out, but the Rangers pulled him after one inning when Peyton Gray came in to start the second. The early exit for Gore left questions about health and forced Texas to lean on its bullpen far sooner than planned.
Jose Quintana took the ball for Colorado and gave his team length, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing seven hits while keeping a three-run lead intact. Quintana (2-2) mixed his pitches well enough to avoid big rallies until the later innings, and he paid dividends by settling the Rockies after that first-inning flurry. Still, Colorado had to depend on its relievers to hold off a persistent Rangers lineup as the game tightened up.
The bullpen saw some traffic in the eighth when Victor Vodnik started with a 7-3 lead but couldn’t retire a batter, surrendering a double to Josh Jung and issuing two walks. Brennan Bernardino came on and produced a two-run single by Ezequiel Duran and an RBI grounder that cut the lead, though he managed to get pinch-hitter Kyle Higashioka to pop out and preserve a one-run cushion. Those innings underscored how quickly momentum can swing with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Juan Mejia slammed the door in the ninth despite a two-out single from Jake Burger; he recorded his third save in three chances and extended his scoreless streak to six straight appearances. Mejia’s reliability in high-leverage spots has become a real asset for Colorado, giving the Rockies a cleaner finish than they’d enjoyed earlier in the summer. For Texas, the late-inning scoring showed the lineup’s depth, even if the team couldn’t quite complete the comeback.
Rookie Justin Foscue provided a major spark for the Rangers, going 3 for 3 with three RBIs thanks to his first two doubles and a solo homer off Quintana in the fifth. Ezequiel Duran also delivered, finishing 3 for 4 and crossing the plate twice as he chipped in offensively during pressure moments. Those performances by younger players kept Texas within striking distance and highlighted the club’s offensive potential when swings are falling.
>The Rockies cashed in on a defensive hiccup in the third when Kyle Karros hit a grounder to third that produced a two-out error charged to third baseman Josh Jung, leading to two runs. Peyton Gray, who had replaced Gore to start the second, gave up two additional runs in the fourth as both clubs traded blows through the middle innings. Colorado’s ability to respond after mistakes and Texas’ knack for manufacturing rallies made for a classic Coors Field shootout feel.
With the victory, Colorado improved to 10-13 at home this season and 19-11 against Texas at Coors Field, a reminder that Denver has consistently been a tough place for the Rangers to win. The Rockies’ mix of veteran pitching and timely hitting was enough to hold off Texas despite the late threats. Up next, the Rockies hadn’t named a starter opposite Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker (1-4, 4.34) for Tuesday, leaving the matchup to be finalized before first pitch.
