Anyone lucky enough to witness a series-clinching win by the 2025 Rockies might as well make a wish. It’s about as fleeting and rare as spotting a shooting star over Coors Field.
With help from the family-friendly tradition of Star Wars night at the ballpark, 42,131 paid to spot one together on Saturday night — a 10-6 Rockies victory over the Twins that cemented Colorado’s first home series win of the year.
“It’s definitely a nice building block, absolutely,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “We want series wins at home. Nobody wanted it to take this long to get it, but doesn’t matter. We’ve got it right now.”
It only took until July 19. Ninety-eight games. Turns out, all the Rockies (24-74) needed to finally accomplish the feat was an All-Star break and a few motivational words from Schaeffer upon return.
“We had a little team discussion,” third baseman Ryan McMahon said. “I feel like Warren Schaeffer put a lot of good points, a lot of good perspective out there. … Some guys said some stuff. Now it’s just holding each other accountable to that. Trying to make sure that we’re playing each game as hard as we can.”
Now the Rockies have a chance to earn their first home sweep since May 10-12, 2024, on Sunday (1:10 p.m.) when they wrap up their three-game set with the Twins — Minnesota’s, not Luke and Leia Skywalker.
The force was with Colorado in just enough timely moments Saturday. Both teams narrowly missed home runs in the first two innings as the Twins built a 3-1 lead. But when McMahon connected with a Zebby Matthews slider in the third frame, it snuck over the tallest portion of the center-field fence for a two-run, game-tying home run that defied any suspicion of a post-break malaise already setting in on Blake Street. McMahon has gone deep in both games since the All-Star break.
Then in the fifth, Ezequiel Tovar clobbered a 1-2 fastball 433 feet to center for a three-run shot –again with two outs.
It gave Tovar his first homer since May. It gave the Rockies a 6-3 lead that they never relinquished.
“Ezequiel Tovar is Ezequiel Tovar,” McMahon said of the shortstop, who missed more than a month before the break. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
This being the 2025 Rockies, though, clinching a series wasn’t allowed to be simple and stress-free.
Starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela gave Colorado seven strong innings of three-run ball, snapping a streak of three straight losing decisions. Almost immediately after he exited with a seemingly comfortable 8-3 edge, his bullpen started walking a tightrope. Two walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Minnesota with one out. A two-out double brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Carlos Correa.
Colorado reliever Tyler Kinley was able to extinguish the fire. He struck out the three-time All-Star, and newly minted All-Star Hunter Goodman gave the Rockies all the insurance they needed with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning. He, Tovar and Mickey Moniak each had three-hit nights.
“Just good stuff from the offense. Good plan,” Schaeffer said. “… Multiple guys contributing. Any time you can get multiple guys contributing, you’re going to score runs. Especially in this park.”
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Senzatela overcame a 35-minute rain delay before first pitch and a string of three consecutive Minnesota extra-base hits early to deliver his longest start of the year. He didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position in his last five innings of work, inducing two Twins double plays to go with three strikeouts.
“His curveball was good,” Schaeffer said. “He commanded the heater other than that one inning.”
“I felt good. I maybe could go for another inning or something, but seven innings is good,” Senzatela said. “We’ve got a good bullpen, and we win the game (which) is most important.”
The Rockies have now won a total of three series in 2025. They have lost 29.
Ritter injures finger
Second baseman Ryan Ritter, who has filled in for Tovar at shortstop recently, is now expected to be out for multiple games after cutting open his finger on a bunt attempt Saturday. He didn’t break any bones, Schaeffer said, but needed stitches to close up the “pretty nasty” injury.
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Source:: News Denver – Denver Post
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