Rockies fall apart in seventh inning of 6-3 loss to Boston Red Sox

The Colorado Rockies’ chance to sweep the Boston Red Sox fell apart instantly on Wednesday night.

The Rockies held a slim 2-1 lead when the Red Sox scored five runs in the seventh inning of a 6-3 loss after a two-hour rain delay at Fenway Park.

The fireworks began when Rockies starter Austin Gomber allowed back-to-back singles, leading to a pitching change. With reliever Brent Suter on the mound, Boston tallied three runs off shortstop Pablo Reyes’ sacrifice fly and left fielder Rob Refsnyder’s two-run triple.

Suter was out, and Peter Lambert was in, but Boston’s scoring surge continued. Red Sox third baseman Justin Turner singled in a run before right fielder Alex Verdugo’s RBI double gave Boston a four-run lead.

“We’ll take two (wins) out of three any day of the week,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters. “We were in position (to win) tonight. (Boston) just strung some hits together in the seventh.”

For the most part, the Rockies’ third game of the series was a pitching duel. Boston starter Garrett Whitlock shut down Colorado for five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and seven strikeouts. Whitlock kept the Rockies hitless for three straight innings after giving up a pair of hits in the opening frame.

The Rockies cracked the code in the sixth. Center fielder Brenton Doyle hit a leadoff single before stealing second base. After a single from right fielder Nolan Jones and a game-tying sacrifice fly from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, third baseman Ryan McMahon hit an RBI double to take a one-run advantage.

Gomber was solid, allowing three runs on six hits and five strikeouts in six innings.

“One run until the seventh inning on a night when needed the length,” Black said. “(Gomber) pitched really well.”

At one point, Doyle’s diving catch in the third was the only highlight of the evening. As Reyes belted a fly ball to center field in the third inning, Gomber turned around to see Doyle extend his body to make an incredible grab, causing the left-handed pitcher to put his hands over his head in disbelief.