Gonzalez, Rockies hold off late charge by Yankees
DENVER -- Carlos Gonzalez had four hits, including a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Colorado Rockies held on for a 13-10 victory over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.
The Rockies held a 12-3 lead through seven innings but the Yankees erupted for seven runs on eight singles and roughed up Justin Miller and Miguel Castro.
Gonzalez gave Colorado some breathing room by leading off the eighth against Andrew Miller with his 14th home run. Carlos Estevez retired the side in order for his second save as the Rockies won their third straight and crept to within two games of .500 (31-33) for the first time since May 28.
The Yankees lost their third straight and have the same record as Colorado.
The return of the Yankees to Coors Field for the first time since 2013 drew an announced crowd of 46,333, the Rockies' largest since their home opener (49,360).
Jorge De La Rosa (3-4) pitched allowed three singles in five scoreless innings while throwing 90 pitches in his return to the rotation, following three relief appearances. After going 1-4 with an 11.41 ERA in six starts, De La Rosa regrouped in the bullpen.
The Rockies took a 4-0 lead in the fourth on back-to-back home runs by Trevor Story and Ryan Raburn.
Pinch hitter Daniel Descalso tripled home two runs in the seventh and scored on DJ LeMahieu's sacrifice fly, the fourth straight inning in which the Rockies scored at least twice.
The Yankees' uprising in the eighth began when Miller gave up five straight one-out singles. Pinch-hitter Ike Davis, in his Yankees debut, floated a run-scoring single to right, and Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a two-run single that made it 12-6 and brought Castro in.
Castro hit Brett Gardner with a pitch to load the bases and Starlin Castro's slow roller scored two runs when the right-hander threw the ball past first base. Brian McCann's grounder and Chase Headley's single netted two more, trimming the lead to 12-10 but Jason Motte got Gregorious to ground out and end the inning.
After Gregorious' three-run homer brought the Yankees within 6-3, the Rockies scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to restore their six-run lead. The first run scored on Kirby Yates' low pickoff and the other runs scored on singles by Gonzalez and Story.
Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi (6-3) allowed six runs and eight hits in four-plus innings. Eovaldi was chased after giving up Nolan Arenado's RBI double to left field which went off Gardner's glove and gave Colorado a 6-0 lead.
NOTES: Rockies LF Gerardo Parra left the game in the third with an apparent left knee injury. Shortstop Trevor Story went rolling into Parra in short left field as they chased a ball that Parra managed to hold. Parra was carted off the field. ... Yankees 1B Ike Davis joined the team. Manager Joe Girardi said he planned to start the left-handed hitting Davis against right-handed pitchers and will have him in the lineup Wednesday. ... Yankees RF Carlos Beltran was not in the lineup due to soreness in his left knee. ... Yankees LHP Chasen Shreve (left shoulder AC joint sprain) threw a bullpen session Sunday and is scheduled to throw another on Wednesday and Friday. ... Rockies LHP Chris Rusin (left shoulder strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled retroactive to June 9, and RHP Miguel Castro was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to begin his third stint with the Rockies this season. ... Rockies C Tony Wolters (concussion) was reinstated and C Dustin Garneau was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Rockies RHP Christian Bergman (strained left oblique) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Friday at Miami before the Rockies open a series there. He threw a 40-pitch bullpen Tuesday.