Drury drives in six, D-backs crush Rockies

DENVER (AP) — Taijuan Walker pitched six solid innings and slapped an RBI single during Arizona’s biggest inning ever on the road — a 10-run fourth — and the Diamondbacks went on to beat the Colorado Rockies 16-5 on Wednesday night.

Shaking off Tuesday’s tough loss in which Colorado rallied late for a one-run win, the Diamondbacks sent 14 men to the plate and pounded out nine hits, including a two-run double and RBI single by Brandon Drury in his two at-bats in the inning. Drury finished with four hits and career-high six RBI, and the Diamondbacks established season highs in run and hits (20).

David Peralta and Paul Goldschmidt also connected for two hits in the inning and combined for three RBI, helping the Diamondbacks snap the Rockies’ winning streak at six games and setting up Thursday’s match between the NL West rivals as the decisive game in the series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks are all bunched at or near the top of the division and among them have the best records in the NL.

Nick Ahmed added a two-run homer off reliever Carlos Estevez in the seventh. Goldschmidt collected three hits and three RBI and Peralta had four hits and an RBI.

Walker (6-3), who had eight strikeouts, allowed three runs and six hits, including a solo home run by Mark Reynolds in the second. He has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his seven starts on the road this season.

Jeff Hoffman (4-1) could not get out of the fourth inning in taking his first loss of the season. He allowed nine runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Nolan Arenado had a two-run double for the Rockies in the fifth.

SCARY MOMENT

A seventh-inning fastball from Estevez skipped off the left hand of Chris Iannetta as he dropped to the ground and smacked into face mask of home plate umpire Andy Fletcher, knocking it askew. Fletcher and Iannetta, who was struck in the mouth by a pitch May 12 and went on the 7-day concussion disabled list, were both checked by team trainers. Iannetta, who narrowly avoided being hit in the head again, remained in the game and Fletcher finished calling the top of the seventh. But Fletcher, apparently still feeling some of the effects from taking a pitch to the head, left the game midway through the seventh and second base umpire Ron Kulpa moved behind the plate to call balls and strikes the rest of the way. In a statement released by the Rockies, officials said Fletcher was being evaluated for a concussion and would not work Thursday’s finale.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF Yasmany Tomas, on the 10-day DL with right groin tendinitis, continues to take batting practice and engage in light running and throwing but there’s still no word on when he will return.

Rockies: RHP Chad Qualls, placed on the 10-day DL because of back spasms, threw on the side Wednesday and seems on target to return in the next week. … OF Gerardo Parra, who suffered a strained right quad earlier this month, is getting better but it remains uncertain when he’ll be back. “He’s doing better,” manager Bud Black said before the game. “He’s running on the field, he’s hitting. It gets a little tricky at the end, when it gets closer.”

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (2-1, 2.34 ERA) has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his eight starts this season.

Rockies: The win total by rookie RHP Antonio Senzatela (9-2, 4.10 ERA) ranks second in the NL and he has been successful at Coors Field, where he has gone 7-1 in eight starts