DENVER -- Nolan Arenado tossed his bat to the ground in repulsion when his hard-hit liner disappeared into the glove of second baseman Ian Kinsler to start the ninth.
Just the latest frustrating night at the plate for the Colorado Rockies.
Nicholas Castellanos had three hits, including a two-run triple , and Jordan Zimmermann rebounded from early trouble to help the Detroit Tigers beat Colorado 4-3 on Monday.
The Rockies stranded 11 baserunners and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position as their lead for the second NL wild-card spot dwindled to three games over idle Milwaukee. They're now hitting just .223 with runners in scoring position this month.
"It's just a matter of time, man," Jonathan Lucroy said of the offense reawakening. "We're going to get big hits when we need them. Our lineup is too good. You can't hold everybody down at once."
Zimmermann (8-11) went five innings and allowed three runs -- all in the second. He settled down to move his career mark to 7-0 against the Rockies in 11 career starts.
"I don't think he was as sharp as I have seen him, but he pitched good enough to get a win," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
Shane Greene struck out two of three in the ninth for his sixth save. He fanned Mark Reynolds to end the game.
Antonio Senzatela (10-5) never found his command in allowing four runs over 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander has bounced between the starting rotation, the minors and the bullpen since he was the NL rookie of the month in April.
Trailing 3-2 in the third, Castellanos laced a two-run triple into the corner to give the Tigers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. It was Castellanos' AL-leading 10th triple of the season. He also had an RBI single in the first.
"It's been a roller-coaster year," Castellanos said. "My production has been good, I guess. I am not too happy with it because I expect a lot more from myself."
Detroit's bullpen came up big in a pivotal sixth. After Warwick Saupold worked his way into a one-out, bases-loaded situation, he struck out Arenado on a pitch off the plate. Lefty Daniel Stumpf was summoned to face Gerardo Parra and struck him out with a fastball. Stumpf screamed as he walked off the mound.
"The Parra at-bat was huge with the bases loaded to end that inning," Ausmus said. "It's not easy to close out games, especially one-run games in this ballpark."
Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera left the game in the fifth inning with lower back tightness . He went 0 for 1 with two walks and a run scored.
Lucroy had a two-run homer off Zimmermann. He finished 3 for 4.
"Nothing special," Lucroy said. "I wish it was."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris (left groin strain) will make a rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Toledo. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (left hamstring strain) is scheduled to throw Thursday for Class A West Michigan.
Rockies: RF Carlos Gonzalez was a late scratch with a sore left ankle. "We did treatment during the game," he said. "I'm feeling better."
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Greg Holland remains manager Bud Black's closer despite a rough stretch. Holland has blown three saves and given up 14 runs over his last eight games. He pitched a perfect ninth Monday in a nonsave situation.
"Greg will be a big part of us getting to where we want to be moving forward," Black said.
Holland is coming back from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss all of last season. He has 36 saves this season.
DESMOND'S RETURN
Outfielder/infielder Ian Desmond was activated from the disabled list, where he's been for the last month with a strained right calf. He was added to the starting lineup when Gonzalez was scratched. Desmond had two singles.
"He feels good about his calf, he feels good about where he is physically and he feels good about where he is making contributions from here on out," Black said.
COORS OPINION
Ausmus doesn't exactly have warm regards for hitter friendly Coors Field.
"Pinball baseball," Ausmus called it.
UP NEXT
Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer (10-11, 3.69 ERA) makes his first start against Colorado on Tuesday. The Rockies will throw RHP German Marquez (10-5, 4.18 ERA), who has never faced Detroit.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball




Final
Series: Game 1 of 3

Tigers 4

(57-73, 26-41 away)

Rockies 3

(71-60, 38-26 home)





8:40PM,EDT,August 28,2017
Coors Field, Denver,Colorado 

123456789 R H E
DET 202000000 4 9 0
COL 030000000 3 13 0
W: J. Zimmermann (8-11)
L: A. Senzatela (10-5)
S: S. Greene (6)




View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Detroit - Top of 1stSCORE
Antonio Senzatela pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Kinsler grounded out to third.00
Presley tripled to deep right.00
Upton doubled to deep center, Presley scored.10
Cabrera walked.10
Castellanos singled to right, Upton scored, Cabrera to second.20
Mahtook grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Castellanos out at second.20
2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 1stSCORE
Jordan Zimmermann pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Blackmon struck out swinging.20
LeMahieu singled to right center.20
Arenado singled to left, LeMahieu to second.20
Parra lined out to left.20
Reynolds grounded into fielder's choice to third, LeMahieu out at third, Arenado to second.20
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 2ndSCORE
Antonio Senzatela pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
McCann doubled to left.20
Iglesias grounded out to first, McCann to third.20
Zimmermann grounded out to pitcher.20
Kinsler lined out to center.20
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
Jordan Zimmermann pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Desmond singled to center.20
Lucroy homered to left (435 feet), Desmond scored.22
Story doubled to deep right.22
Senzatela sacrificed to pitcher, Story to third.22
Blackmon singled to center, Story scored.23
LeMahieu flied out to right, Blackmon to second.23
Arenado walked.23
Parra grounded out to first.23
3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 3rdSCORE
Antonio Senzatela pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Presley struck out swinging.23
Upton walked.23
Cabrera walked, Upton to second.23
Castellanos tripled to left, Upton and Cabrera scored.43
Mahtook lined out to pitcher.43
McCann struck out looking.43
2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
Jordan Zimmermann pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Reynolds struck out swinging.43
Desmond flied out to left.43
Lucroy singled to deep center.43
Story struck out swinging.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 4thSCORE
Antonio Senzatela pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Iglesias grounded out to third.43
Zimmermann singled to left center.43
Kinsler lined out to center.43
Rusin relieved Senzatela.43
Presley struck out swinging.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 4thSCORE
Jordan Zimmermann pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Rusin lined out to shortstop.43
Blackmon singled to right.43
LeMahieu grounded out to third, Blackmon to second.43
Arenado flied out to right.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 5thSCORE
Chris Rusin pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Upton flied out to right.43
Cabrera struck out swinging.43
Castellanos reached on infield single to second.43
Castellanos caught stealing second, pitcher to first to shortstop.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 5thSCORE
Jordan Zimmermann pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Hicks at first base.43
Parra grounded out to first.43
Reynolds flied out to left.43
Desmond reached on infield single to shortstop.43
Lucroy flied out to right.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 6thSCORE
Chris Rusin pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Mahtook struck out looking.43
McCann singled to left.43
Iglesias flied out to left.43
Machado hit for Zimmermann.43
Machado grounded into fielder's choice to third, McCann out at second.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 6thSCORE
Warwick Saupold pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Saupold relieved Zimmermann.43
Story lined out to center.43
Amarista hit for Rusin.43
Amarista singled to left.43
Blackmon singled to center, Amarista to second.43
LeMahieu walked, Amarista to third, Blackmon to second.43
Arenado struck out swinging.43
Stumpf relieved Saupold.43
Parra struck out swinging.43
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 7thSCORE
Adam Ottavino pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Ottavino relieved Rusin.43
Kinsler singled to center.43
Presley grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Kinsler out at second.43
Upton lined out to third.43
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 7thSCORE
Drew VerHagen pitching for DetroitDETCOL
VerHagen relieved Stumpf.43
Reynolds singled to left.43
Desmond grounded into double play, third to second to first, Reynolds out at second.43
Lucroy singled to right.43
Story grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Lucroy out at second.43
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 8thSCORE
Jake McGee pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
McGee relieved Ottavino.43
Hicks struck out swinging.43
Castellanos lined out to right.43
Mahtook grounded out to shortstop.43
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Drew VerHagen pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Valaika hit for McGee.43
Valaika flied out to left.43
Wilson relieved VerHagen.43
Blackmon flied out to right.43
LeMahieu struck out swinging.43
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Top of 9thSCORE
Greg Holland pitching for ColoradoDETCOL
Holland relieved McGee.43
McCann struck out swinging.43
Iglesias lined out to right.43
Jones hit for Wilson.43
Jones grounded out to shortstop.43
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Colorado - Bottom of 9thSCORE
Shane Greene pitching for DetroitDETCOL
Romine at third base.43
Greene relieved Wilson.43
Arenado lined out to second.43
Parra struck out swinging.43
Reynolds struck out swinging.43
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors






Detroit Tigers
HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Kinsler 2B40100014.243.325.400
Presley RF41100225.291.342.376
Upton LF32111019.280.364.549
Cabrera 1B11002116.253.339.406
Hicks 1B
1000013.310.363.513
Castellanos 3B40330010.248.305.447
Romine 3B
0000000.238.300.357
Mahtook CF40000118.277.331.450
McCann C40200219.256.327.439
Iglesias SS40000015.253.286.367
Zimmermann P2010009.167.167.167
a-Machado PH
1000003.298.333.368
0000000.000.000.000
0000000.000.000.000
0000000.000.000.000
0000000.000.000.000
b-Jones PH
1000001.172.274.266
0000000.000.000.000
Totals3349437152   
a-grounded into fielder's choice to third for J Zimmermann in the 6th
b-grounded to shortstop for A Wilson in the 9th
BATTING
2B: Upton (37, Senzatela); McCann (12, Senzatela)
3B: Presley (1, Senzatela); Castellanos (10, Senzatela)
RBI: Upton (94), Castellanos 3 (75)
GIDP: Mahtook, Presley
Tigers RISP: 3-9 (Kinsler 0-1, Zimmermann 0-1, McCann 0-1, Castellanos 2-2, Mahtook 0-2, Iglesias 0-1, Upton 1-1)
Team LOB: 5
BASERUNNING
CS: Castellanos (3, 2nd base by Rusin)
Picked Off: Castellanos (1st base by Rusin)
FIELDING
DP: 1 (Castellanos-Kinsler-Hicks).

Game Notes

1B CABRERA (LOWER BACK TIGHTNESS) LEFT GAME BOT 5TH

Game Information

StadiumCoors Field, Denver, CO
Attendance30,754 (61% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time3:29
Weather87 degrees, clear
Wind6 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Jordan Baker, First Base - Mike Everitt, Second Base - Bruce Dreckman, Third Base - Tom Woodring