Baltimore, MD (Sportsbooks) - Kaz Matsui slapped the go-ahead RBI double with two outs in the 10th inning, as the
Colorado Rockies topped the
Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, in the middle contest of a three-game set.
Colorado starter Rodrigo Lopez, in his first appearance against his former team, scattered six hits and two runs over seven innings, fanning two and walking one. Lopez spend the last five seasons in Baltimore, until the Orioles dealt him to Colorado this past offseason.
Jeremy Affeldt (4-1) tossed a scoreless ninth, and Brian Fuentes picked up his 18th save with a scoreless 10th. Matsui, Brad Hawpe, and Ryan Spilborghs each had two hits for the Rockies, who have won three of four and five of seven.
Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie pitched well enough to win, giving up just six hits and two runs in eight innings with six strikeouts and one walk, but was stuck with the no-decision. Todd Williams (0-1) gave up Matsui's double in the 10th. Brian Roberts went 3-for-5 and scored for the Orioles, who have dropped six of eight.
Chris Iannetta poked a one-out single to center in the 10th, and moved to second on Willy Taveras' sacrifice bunt. Matsui followed with a clutch two-out hit, slicing a double down the left-field line to put the Rockies ahead.
The Orioles jumped on top with a two-run first. Roberts laced a leadoff single to left and moved to second on Nick Markakis' infield single. Both runners moved up on a double steal, and Roberts came home on a Miguel Tejada groundout. Aubrey Huff followed with a single to left, plating Markakis, and giving Baltimore a 2-0 edge.
The Rockies wasted no time evening things, as they plated two in the second. Garrett Atkins walked and Hawpe doubled, moving Atkins to third. Troy Tulowitzki brought one run home with a groundout, and the other was knocked in on a Spilborghs single.
Game Notes
Twelve of Baltimore's last 14 losses have come by two runs or less. The Orioles are 6-15 in one-run games, the most one-run losses in the majors...Rockies starting pitchers have issued three walks or less in their last 13 games, as they have given up just 17 total free passes during the stretch.
