The Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners were tied at 1 in the seventh inning Saturday Dorance Armstrong Jr. Jersey Cowboys , and the Rockies had two men on and one out when Cuevas came to the plate as the No. 9 hitter. He got the sign for a safety squeeze, but fouled off his first bunt attempt.
Instead, Cuevas hit the next pitch over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, giving the Rockies the lead in what would be a 5-1 win.
”I wasn’t happy at that moment that I missed it. We were trying to get that run in,” Cuevas said. ”Next pitch, I can’t remember I just missed a bunt. I need to make sure I’m ready for that pitch and that was it.”
It was the second career home run for Cuevas, who was called up to the Rockies on April 22, and his first since May 14. The three RBI set a career high, and he tied his best mark with three hits in the game. He also had another sacrifice attempt turn into an infield hit to load the bases in the third inning.
Cuevas wasn’t the only one at the bottom of Colorado’s order to have a big day. The Rockies’ No. 6-9 hitters combined to go 9 for 14 with five RBIs.
”All those guys, every one of their at-bats from pitch one, they were ready to hit,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. ”That’s what I saw, all of them.”
The Rockies won their fifth straight despite facing Seattle’s best starter Shelby Miller Jersey , James Paxton (8-3). Although Paxton was again overpowering at times, striking out nine, he lost for the second time in three starts. He allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings – marking the third time in four starts Paxton allowed at least that many runs and hits.
”I felt really good today. I had good stuff, I felt like I threw the ball well,” he said. ”It was really good other than that one pitch.”
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Gonzalez. Segura’s seventh homer tied the score in the fifth.
Reliever Scott Oberg (2-0) earned the win by throwing a perfect sixth inning, striking out two.
Colorado starter Kyle Freeland left after five innings, allowing one run and five hits. It was Freeland’s shortest outing since going four innings on April 18 – he had pitched into the sixth inning or later in his previous 13 starts.
ROSTER MOVES
Rockies: Colorado recalled INF/OF Jordan Patterson and LHP Jerry Vasto from Triple-A Albuquerque, and C Tom Murphy – who returned to Denver on Friday to be with his wife, Lindsay, for the birth of their second child – was placed on the paternity list.
Mariners: Seattle recalled OF John Andreoli from Triple-A Tacoma and optioned RHP Nick Rumbelow to Tacoma. Andreoli started in left field Saturday and struck out twice before being replaced by Ben Gamel in the sixth.
TRAINERS ROOM
Rockies: LHP Mike Dunn was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to July 4 with AC joint inflammation. Colorado manager Bud Black said it was unclear how long Dunn might be out. … SS Trevor Story was scratched from the starting lineup with a bruised right foot.
Mariners: Mitch Haniger was back in the starting lineup at right field after missing two games with a bruised right knee. … 2B Dee Gordon was out of the starting lineup after hurting his hip on a play at the plate on Friday, but manager Scott Servais said it was just a day off and the injury wasn’t serious. Gordon entered the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth and popped out to left field.
CANO TALKS
Before the game, Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano talked with the media about his 80-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug agreement, saying it was the most difficult thing he’s dealt with in his life outside of the death of his grandfather. Cano is eligible to return on August 14 Cheap Mike Gesicki Jersey , but is ineligible for postseason play and Gordon has excelled defensively at second base in Cano’s absence.
”I’m focused on bringing a title to Seattle so I would do whatever it takes to help this team to win,” Cano said. ”At the same time I understand I’m not going to be able to play in the playoffs so you got to give a chance to Dee to go out and play because when we get to the playoffs he’s going to have to come back and play second base.”
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-1, 4.44 ERA) is making his second start after starting the year in the Colorado bullpen. In his first start on Tuesday against the Giants, Senzatela pitched seven scoreless innings.
Mariners: LHP Wade LeBlanc (4-0, 3.19) will make his 13th start of the season. He allowed one run on three hits in seven innings his last time out against the Angels.
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Quarterback Sam Bradford was well aware of David Johnson even before signing with the Cardinals in the offseason.
Bradford was on the opposite sideline when Johnson rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns while trouncing Bradford's Eagles in 2015.
A training camp with Johnson has only amplified Bradford's appreciation.
"When I first got here, I think everyone tried to explain just how special he was and what he was able to do in the run game and the pass game, all the ways that he could be used," Bradford said. "I've heard that before about some players, but then you actually see it and you see how smooth he is running routes. He looks like a receiver when he is split out wide. You just don't see that from a guy that is as talented at running the ball as he is. I'm excited to play with David. I think he is extremely versatile, and hopefully we find a way to use him a lot."
New coach Steve Wilks and new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy are expected to do exactly that, although it might not be evident in the Cardinals' preseason opener against San Diego on Saturday.
Neither Bradford nor Johnson is likely to see much time, more to give the coaches time to evaluate the rest of the squad than to protect Bradford (knee) and Johnson (wrist) from contact.
Rookie Chase Edmonds, a fourth-round pick out of Fordham Authentic Will Dissly Jersey , is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart, and veteran D.J. Foster provides a run/pass threat in a running back corps that also includes T.J. Logan and Sherman Badie.
Johnson, who was second in the NFL with 2,118 yards in total offense in 2016, was injured in the 2017 season opener against Detroit and hasn't played since. He understands the preseason plan.
"Even though I was hurt last year, I know how the NFL works," Johnson said. "I've played long enough to know the speed of NFL games and I know what I am supposed to do."
Johnson's focus in training camp, which he opted to attend after sitting out the mandatory offseason workouts in June because of a contract dispute, is to get in synch with McCoy's playbook.
The new offense is more oriented to the short pass, while former coach Bruce Arians believed in the home run ball.
"It's been great," Johnson said. "Mike McCoy really knows how to bring out everyone's strengths. He knows how to structure the offense to where it brings out what everyone is good at. I feel like it is going to be a great offense."
Johnson's emphasis now is on learning the nuances of the new running game, although it is safe to assume his pass-catching ability will be utilized as it was in 2016, when he had 1 Cheap DJ Moore Jersey ,239 rushing yards on 293 carries and 879 receiving yards on 80 receptions.
While Johnson will be the feature back, the Cardinals will use other packages that could involve Edmonds, Foster and others depending on the opponent's defensive schemes, Wilks said.
"All those guys are being very competitive," Wilks said. "There are going to be some tough decisions. That's what you want as a coach. We want those guys to make us make those tough decisions with the things they are doing."
NOTES: The Cardinals placed center A.Q. Shipley on injured reserve Tuesday, three days after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in a team scrimmage. Mason Cole, a third-round draft choice from Michigan, is listed as the starting center, but coach Wilks said, "I'm not going to try to put all the pressure on him. It's going to be by committee. Those guys have to do a great job communicating, starting with the guards and out to the tackles and making sure they put us in the right position from a (pass) protection standpoint."
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