DETROIT (AP) — Randal Grichuk had three hits, including his first home run of the season, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2 Sunday.
The Rockies ended up with a series win despite a 13-0 loss in the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
“That first game really got away from us, but we came back with a good performance in the second game and we played really well again today,” said Connor Joe, who walked, doubled and scored a run. “We’re playing really good baseball right now, and this gives us another series win.”
A day after getting his 3,000th hit, Tigers star Miguel Cabrera didn’t play. He got three hits in a doubleheader split Saturday, raising his career hit total to 3,002.
Charlie Blackmon had four hits, scored twice and drove in two runs for Colorado.
“Charlie is a great hitter and he’s proven that again and again over the years,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He’s going to get big hits and help us win games.”
Chad Kuhl (2-0) again pitched well for his new team, allowing one run and four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out four and has a 1.10 ERA in three starts for the Rockies.
“I think the secret right now is that I’m not worrying about the small misses and I’m trying to minimize the big misses,” Kuhl said. “I didn’t let myself get into a lot of 2-0 or 3-1 counts, and I was really able to lean on my slider when I needed it.”
Tyler Alexander (0-2) allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings.
“Watching this team for the last three games, you can really see why they are hitting as well as they are,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “They are always battling you. They never give up on an at-bat, even with two strikes, and they never give up on an inning, even with two outs.”
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the first when Blackmon doubled and later scored on C.J. Cron’s infield single.
Grichuk hit a two-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third. Austin Meadows made it 3-1 with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
Blackmon hit a two-run single in the fourth, ending Alexander’s day.
“He just wasn’t very sharp,” Hinch said. “He can usually spot his cutter wherever he needs it, but that wasn’t there today.”
Ryan McMahon added an RBI single in the fifth. All six Colorado runs came with two out.
“When you are getting those runs, they are a huge lift, because you’ve got a number on the board,” Black said. “When you are giving them up, they are killers. You’ve gotten two out, you might have made some really good pitches with runners in scoring position and then you can’t get out of the inning.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: Detroit activated SS Javier Báez (thumb) from the disabled list and optioned RHP Jason Foley to Triple-A Toledo. ... LHP Andrew Chafin is expected to join the Tigers on Monday.
IGLESIAS MAKES PLAYS
Detroit fans have warmly welcomed back Rockies SS Jose Iglesias, and he made two plays Sunday that were reminiscent of his days with the Tigers. In the fifth inning, with Colorado shifting for Tucker Barnhart, he started a 6-5-3 double play and in the sixth, Detroit had runners on first and second with one out. Jeimer Candelario’s popup fell between three defenders in shallow left, but Iglesias grabbed the ball and fired to Kuhl for a 6-1 force play at third.
“Iggy is just a great instinctive player - he knows exactly what he has to do to make those plays happen. We see it all the time,” Black said.
NEXT UP
Rockies: Colorado travels to Philadelphia to begin a four-game series on Monday. Kyle Freeland (0-2, 7.71) is scheduled to start the opener against Kyle Gibson (1-1, 3.57).
Tigers: Detroit starts a three-game series in Minnesota on Monday. Tigers lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 5.27) will face Minnesota’s (0-2, 5.00).
