Rockies ride clutch hits from Garrett Hampson, Connor Joe to edge D-Backs

Sunday’s victory was the kind of game that slipped through the Rockies’ fingers so many times this season.

Colorado combined seven solid innings of pitching from German Marquez, clutch hits from Garrett Hampson and Connor Joe and another save from Daniel Bard to win at Arizona, 3-2.

” ‘Marky’ did his thing and we just needed that big hit,” Hampson told AT&T SportsNet. “We hit some balls really hard today but with nothing to show for it early.

“But it was good to see (some hits) fall and it’s a happy flight (home).”

The game began with a spectacular leaping catch by Arizona center fielder Alek Thomas against the outfield wall, robbing Joe of an extra-base hit.

Colorado took three of four games in the series, marking the first time in franchise history that it won a four-game series at Chase Field. The Rockies (38-48) climbed into a fourth-place tie with the Diamondbacks in the National League West.

Bard, who has a chance to be added to the all-star team as a substitute, pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two and claiming his 18th save in 20 chances. He has a 1.07 WHIP and opponents are hitting just .155 against him, the sixth-lowest among National League relievers.

The Rockies were blanked for 5 2/3 innings by Tyler Gilbert before rallying against right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton in the seventh. Ryan McMahon sparked the rally with a one-out single and advanced to third on a sloppy throwing error by Arizona third baseman Josh Rojas on Jonathan Daza’s grounder. Instead of being erased by an inning-ending double play, the Rockies had an opportunity.

The Rockies had often flopped in those situations. Not this time. Middleton fanned Brian Serven for the second out but Hampson blasted a two-run double off the center-field wall, scoring McMahon and Daza and tying the game, 2-2. Joe Mantiply relieved Middleton and Joe ripped an RBI single to left to score Hampson for the go-ahead run.

Marquez, in fits and starts, is beginning to resemble the all-star pitcher he was a year ago. Sunday, he limited the D-backs to three hits while striking out four and walking two.

“Marquez was Marquez. That’s the expectation for him,” manager Bud Black told reporters afterward. “He was aggressive in the zone with the fastball — consistent slider, good curveball. As the game went on, he mixed in a few changeups.  And (he had) good tempo between pitches.”

Ketel Marte gave Arizona a 1-0 lead in the first when he hammered Marquez’s two-out, 3-2 sinker over the center-field wall. Marquez has served up 18 home runs, just five on the road.

Overall,  Marquez was pleased with his performance.

“It was amazing and this was a good game for us,” Marquez told reporters. “Every (pitch) was down for me and my breaking ball was good. Also, my fastball was great.”