After a horrendous start to the season, the Colorado Rockies starting rotation has turned in plenty of decent and serviceable starts during their homestand and Cal Quantrill continued that trend on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the Rockies offense wasn’t able to muster enough offense as they lost 3-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Quantrill, making his Rockies Coors Field debut, was a little shaky to begin the game but settled in nicely as things progressed over his six innings of work. The Diamondbacks, coming into the game on a five-game skid, once again got off to a hot start as they have all season. Corbin Carroll kicked things off with a solo home run to left field on the second pitch of the game.

Oppo Taco Tuesday for Corbin to lead us off tonight! pic.twitter.com/dRCRVmUTev

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 10, 2024

Gabriel Moreno, who went 4-for-5 with two doubles and cut down a couple of runners from behind the plate, then followed up with his first double and would come around to score on a Christian Walker single to make it a 2-0 ballgame and also mark the eighth time this season that the Diamondbacks have scored two or more runs in the first inning, five more than any other team in MLB.

The #Dbacks have scored 2+ runs in the 1st inning in 8 games already. No other team has more than 3.

(via https://t.co/epBmrbY9CZ) pic.twitter.com/3ylfmxJL1L

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 10, 2024

The Rockies managed to work well against starter Merrill Kelly, but couldn’t string together enough to overtake the one-run deficit against him. Charlie Blackmon led off the bottom of the first with a single and moved up to third on a double from Ezequiel Tovar. The Rockies scored their first run of the game on a Ryan McMahon groundout to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

Leading off the top of the second, former Rockie Randal Grichuk lofted his first home run of the season and gave the Diamondbacks a decisive home run that proved to be the difference maker.

Grichuk goes yard! pic.twitter.com/Fe2XEgOOeK

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 10, 2024

Facing Kelly, the Rockies proved pesky. Over six innings of work, Kelly allowed six hits and issued three walks while punching out just four, but induced eight of the Rockies’ 12 groundouts on the night. It was another quality start for Kelly and he navigated the traffic from the Rockies despite throwing 96 pitches.

The Rockies had a decent chance to string together a comeback in the sixth inning when Blackmon led off with a walk and Tovar followed up with a single. However, McMahon would hit a tapper right in front of home plate that allowed Moreno to fire the ball to third for the force out and retire Blackmon. Then the Rockies tried to pull of a double steal to put McMahon in scoring position but he was easily thrown out but Moreno. Elias Diaz singled in Tovar and Kris Bryant was able to draw a walk to put runners on first and second. Unfortunately, Nolan Jones was caught looking to end the threat and the inning.

Overall the Rockies totaled eights and struck out just six times, but weren’t able to string enough together against the bullpen to take back the lead.

Quantrill did everything he could to keep the Rockies in the game after the second inning. Over his six innings, he threw a season-high 98 innings and induced six groundouts. Utilizing his splitter, Quantrill struck out six and more importantly didn’t allow a single walk while he surrendered three runs on eight hits.

The Rockies bullpen saw shaky outings from Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley as they walked four batters combined, but were still able to navigate the traffic and keep the score where it was.

Offensively for the Rockies, Brenton Doyle, Diaz, and Tovar each had multi-hit nights while Blackmon had two walks while going 1-for-2.

Up Next

In the rubber match the Rockies will send out Austin Gomber for his second start of the homestand. In his start during the home opener, Gomber tossed 40 pitches in the first inning but was able to keep things under control and went four innings, having allowed two runs. He will face off against Tommy Henry who the Rockies were able to get after in their last matchup in Arizona.