D-backs once again jump all over Rockies in first inning at Chase Field

The last two times the Arizona Diamondbacks played the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field, they jumped all over them in the first inning.

An NL Wild Card Game full of fireworks was followed by an Opening Day start of three runs.

That made it no surprise, then, to see the D-backs put five early runs on the board Friday night.

Following a scoreless top-half from Robbie Ray, David Peralta started the bottom-half with a walk. After Ketel Marte flied out, Paul Goldschmidt walked for the fourth time in his first six at-bats of the season.

That put up A.J. Pollock, who replaced Jake Lamb as the team’s cleanup hitter with lefty Tyler Anderson on the mound for Colorado.

Pollock doubled to left on the second pitch he saw, bringing home both baserunners and making it an early 2-0 advantage.

The @Dbacks are back to scoring first-inning runs. A.J. Pollock cashes in this time. pic.twitter.com/3DgyY84Pje

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 31, 2018

The center fielder would then steal third base and Chris Owings walked. Lamb struck out swinging with runners on the corners and one out, bringing up Nick Ahmed.

Ahmed homered to left off Anderson, bringing home three more runs and making it 5-0 D-backs.

Not known for his power, Ahmed has 20 home runs through his first four major league seasons. It is quite the headstart for Ahmed to top his career-high total of 34 RBI in 2015 with three in one swing, a fourth on an RBI single in the third inning and another RBI single for five in the fifth.

So, for the third straight game, the D-backs pitcher on the mound against the Rockies would have a nice cushion to work with the rest of the night, and Robbie Ray hoped to make it a third-straight win and a perfect 2-0 start to 2018.

It turns out the D-backs would need that big start, as the Rockies came roaring back to score seven runs on Ray in a 9-8 Arizona win.

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