Denver, CO
Rockies rattle Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes with 8-2 victory at Coors Field
Spoiler alert: Should the Diamondbacks fall out of the wild-card playoff race, they might point to this September series with the Rockies.
Last year’s surprise National League pennant winner has owned the Rockies for the last two seasons. But these September Rockies aren’t those Rockies.
They proved it again Tuesday night with an 8-2 romp over the D-backs at Coors Field. Colorado won Game 1 of the series, 3-2, on Monday night. The Rockies might still be roadkill away from LoDo, but they’re tough to beat at Coors, where they have a 19-12 record since July 4.
The victory was the 535th for manager Bud Black, who bypassed Clint Hurdle for the most in Rockies history.
“I’ve been a part of (milestones) before … it’s great,” Black said after veteran players Charlie Blackmon, Kyle Freeland, and German Marquez doused him with a celebratory beer-and-shaving-cream shower. “It’s great. It’s part of what makes us love the game. And when it’s over for all of us, it’s moments like this that you remember.”
Colorado’s formula Tuesday night included an excellent start from right-hander Ryan Feltner, home runs from Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman, and timely hitting up and down the order. Colorado hit 5 for 14 with runners in scoring position.
Arizona entered the night 8-3 in its last 11 games vs. the Rockies, and 18-6 in its last 24 dating back to the start of the 2023 season. But after losing two straight at Coors, they are now tied with the Mets for the NL’s final wild-card playoff spot.
Feltner, his fastball humming, pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up just one run on five hits. He struck out only two but got a lot of weak contact, and Colorado’s defense backed him up with stellar play.
“I was on the same page with ‘Stahls’ all night, and we had great defense all night,” said Feltner, referring to veteran catch Jacob Stallings. “Just being able to trust Stahlings back there, and trusting the defense, it just frees me up. All of my pitches were working tonight and I just kept trying to pound the zone.”
Second baseman Brendan Rodgers fed Tovar at short to turn a sweet double play to end the sixth, and center fielder Brenton Doyle, in the hunt for his second straight Gold Glove, made a running catch in center field to rob Eugenio Suarez of extra bases in the seventh.
“It’s incredible,” Feltner said. “He floated like 20 feet in the air, it looked like from the pitcher’s mound.”
Feltner is turning the corner. Since July 2, he’s posted a 3.25 ERA, with a 1.26 WHIP and a .230 batting average against. Plus, the Rockies have won in each of his last five starts.
“The conviction with the fastball is key,” Black said. “When a pitcher believes in his fastball, and you have a good fastball, it makes the fastball better.
“It’s still a fastball of 93-94-95-96, and he’s had it all year. But for whatever reason, his conviction with his fastball for the past month makes it better. He wills it to good spots. He wills it to get outs.”
Still, Feltner had not won a decision at Coors since Aug. 9, 2022, vs. the Cardinals, an unwanted franchise record of 21 consecutive starts without a win at home. He was aware of the history, but not concerned.
“It doesn’t matter to me, and I don’t look into that stuff,” he said. “I just go out there to try and win the game.”
Second baseman Brendan Rodgers and shortstop Tovar turned a sweet double play to end the sixth, and center fielder Brenton Doyle made a running catch in center field to rob Eugenio Suarez of extra bases in the seventh.
The D-backs scored their only run off Feltner in the fourth, combining a leadoff double by Pavin Smith, a sacrifice bunt by Jake McCarthy and a groundout by Suarez.
Tovar (3 for 5, two RBIs) continues to prove he’s one of baseball’s best shortstops. He led off the third with a homer off Jordan Montgomery for his team-leading 25th long ball of the season. Tovar has also hit 43 doubles, the most by a shortstop in franchise history, the second-most in the NL, and the most by a Rockie since Nolan Arenado swatted 43 in 2017. The last Rockies player who had more than 43 doubles in a season was Matt Holliday, who had 50 in 2007.
In the seventh, Goodman, serving as the designated hitter instead of catching, hit a two-out, 441-foot solo blast to center off lefty reliever Blake Walston. It was Goodman’s second straight game with a homer, his fourth of the current homestand, and 13th of the season.
Colorado strung together three hits off Montgomery to take a 2-0 lead in the third. Michael Toglia led off with a soft double into no man’s land in shallow right field and scored on Stallings’ double to left. Jordan Beck (2 for 3) drove in Stallings with a two-out double to left.
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Originally Published:
The Denver Broncos have the 20th pick in the NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 24 in Green Bay. The Broncos own seven total picks in the seven-round draft.
Broncos’ draft picks
| Round | Pick | Overall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
20 |
20 |
|
|
2 |
19 |
51 |
|
|
3 |
21 |
85 |
|
|
4 |
20 |
122 |
|
|
6 |
15 |
191 |
From Cardinals |
|
6 |
21 |
197 |
|
|
6 |
32 |
208 |
From Eagles |
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 24, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 25, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 26, noon ET
All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
About the Broncos
• General manager: George Paton (fifth season with team)
• Head coach: Sean Payton (third season)
• Last year’s record: 10-7
The Broncos in 2024 defied gloomy preseason expectations by reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2015. They did it behind promising rookie Bo Nix, the sixth quarterback taken in last year’s draft, and a young defense that led the NFL in sacks and featured the defensive player of the year in cornerback Pat Surtain II. Denver added to that promising foundation during free agency with three key signings at positions of need — linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and tight end Evan Engram — and believes it is ready to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs’ stranglehold on the AFC West.
Scouting the decision-makers
Sean Payton has the final say on personnel decisions, but he and general manager George Paton have found a collaborative rhythm in the draft. They were aligned in their pursuit of Nix last season and filled in a draft class behind him that significantly impacted Denver’s playoff season in 2024. Entering their third draft together, it’s the most continuity the Broncos have had between GM and coach since John Elway and John Fox worked together through four straight drafts (2011 to 2014).
• The Broncos’ 2024 NFL Draft class
Broncos’ key free-agent signings
• TE Evan Engram: Two-year, $23 million deal
• LB Dre Greenlaw: Three-year, $35 million deal
• S Talanoa Hufanga: Three-year, $45 million deal
• DT D.J. Jones: Three-year, $39 million deal
• OT Matt Peart: Two-year, $7 million deal
• Broncos’ 2025 free agency tracker
Broncos’ key positions of need
Running back: The Broncos let their leading rusher of the past two seasons, Javonte Williams, walk in free agency and didn’t sign a veteran replacement. None of Denver’s four remaining running backs has ever rushed for 500 yards in a season. The Broncos are clearly in search of an impact player at the position in the draft.
Tight end: Even after signing Engram to a two-year deal, the Broncos could use more pass-catching depth at tight end. They may not be in range to select the draft’s top two targets at the position, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, but this is a deep class of receiving tight ends. Two to keep an eye on with connections to the Broncos: Gunnar Helm of Texas, who played his high school football outside of Denver; and Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson, who caught passes from Nix in college.
Defensive line: The Broncos have long-term decisions to make with Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers. Those two starting ends, plus defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, are all entering the final seasons of their respective contracts in 2025. The Broncos need more young talent up front.
Broncos’ draft analysis
Denver Broncos 2025 NFL Draft big board: Will Sean Payton find more targets for Bo Nix?
Numbers explain Sean Payton’s emphasis on receiving in Broncos’ RB search
Broncos mailbag: The next step for Bo Nix, NFL Draft targets, ‘Hard Knocks’ chances
Broncos roster reset: Is UNC’s Omarion Hampton the RB solution? Extensions on DL?
Broncos 2025 NFL Draft big board: 10 players who fit Sean Payton’s roster ‘musts’
2025 NFL Draft consensus Big Board: Abdul Carter holds at No. 1; Armand Membou rises
The Athletic’s latest mock drafts
March 24: Ben Standig’s mock draft
Another case for picking UNC’s Omarion Hampton
March 21: Beat writer mock draft 2.0
Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart would continue Denver’s defensive infusion
March 10: Nick Baumgardner rounds 1-3 mock draft
More weapons added for Bo Nix
March 7: Broncos mock draft 2.0
A trade back adds picks and help at defensive tackle
March 5: Dane Brugler mock draft
Hampton would offer another “Joker” option
(Photo of North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
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April will be the premier month for jazz in Denver and Boulder, due to the arrival of the Denver Jazz Fest. Kicking off April 3 and running through April 6, some of the area’s best-sounding venues will open their doors to present internationally known artists and local jazz luminaries.
Performers include saxophonist Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet, guitarist Bill Frisell, multi-Grammy winner and Denverite Dianne Reeves, who is unquestionably one of the most accomplished living singers, pianist Omar Sosa, saxophonist Charles McPherson teaming up with trumpeter Terell Stafford, vocalist Ganavya, Boulder-based piano legend Art Lande, emerging and incendiary saxophonist Isaiah Collier, the funk-drenched Ghost Note, The Headhunters and more.
There will be 30 shows total.
It’s encouraging to see the involvement of so many venues in Denver and Boulder, from Nocturne to the Newman Center, presenting such heartfelt music. This will be the first Denver Jazz Fest, and hopefully an annual Colorado tradition will be established. It’s time for the world to be reminded of our extraordinary musical history. Everything you need to know is at denverjazz.org.
Record Store Day
“You can never have enough records” is a statement I embrace. Luckily, Record Store Day is Saturday, April 12. That means your favorite local retailer will amass a stash of limited-edition vinyl for you to grasp excitedly. The archival jazz crop this time around is excellent: there are recently-unearthed live dates from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (“On Fire – Live From The Blue Morocco”,) bassist Charles Mingus (“In Argentina – The Buenos Aires Concerts”,) and trumpet king Kenny Dorham (“Blue Bossa In The Bronx”) which is of particular interest, because there really isn’t a lot of Kenny Dorham music around in physical form.
There’s also an exhilarating four-hour vinyl box from big bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra, “Nuits de la Fondation Maeght,” which includes a generous amount of previously unreleased sounds of joy from the summer of 1970. It’s as noisy as it is delightful. Locations and the definitive list are at recordstoreday.com. I hope you get what you want.
Guitarist Dave Devine will perform music associated with guitar hero Grant Green at Nocturne March 30, along with a six-course dinner…The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra presents a tribute to Quincy Jones at Dazzle March 31…The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band will perform at DU’s Newman Center April 8…The Mike Marlier Quartet honors Chick Corea at Nocturne on April 9…the gifted saxophonist Miguel Zenon brings his quartet to Dazzle April 14…saxophonist-vocalist Brianna Harris performs “The Modern Songbook” at Nocturne Saturdays in April…NEA Jazz Master-saxophonist Gary Bartz, who has worked with legends from Art Blakey to Miles Davis, will take to the Dazzle stage May 1-2. Bartz is living history, and he doesn’t appear in Colorado very often…Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers appear at the Boulder Theater May 3…
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