Tovar’s single in 12th gives Rockies 9-8 win, extending Red Sox skid to 4

DENVER (AP) — Ezequiel Tovar singled home the winning run with the bases loaded and two outs in the 12th inning Monday night to give the Colorado Rockies a 9-8 victory over Boston, handing the Red Sox their fourth straight defeat since the All-Star break.

“A little Michael Jordan flu game for Tovey tonight,” said teammate Sam Hilliard, whose two-run homer with one out in the 10th tied it at 7.

“Stud. He wasn’t in the lineup last night because he was sick. He was good enough to play tonight. To get the game-winning knock right there, you could just tell he was grinding. So just the heart he showed tonight was sick, honestly. It was great.”

Jake Cave singled off rookie Bailey Horn (0-1) to drive in Brendan Rodgers with the tying run with no outs in the 12th.

Cave took second when charging left fielder Tyler O’Neill let the ball get past him for an error, and Jacob Stallings was intentionally walked to bring up Hilliard, who sacrificed the runners up a base. After Aaron Schunk was intentionally walked, Horn struck out Charlie Blackmon before being replaced by Chase Anderson.

Tovar had three hits to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Blackmon had two hits, including his seventh homer, and the last-place Rockies won for the fourth time in five games.

“It was going to be a tough loss for whoever lost that one,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “Our guys endured. Showed a lot of resolve. A couple of big swings.”

Justin Lawrence (3-3) worked two innings for the win.

Wilyer Abreu’s two-out RBI single in the top of the 12th gave Boston an 8-7 lead. The Red Sox are playing without closer Kenley Jansen, who will miss the series because of health concerns related to the Denver altitude.

Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected after the 11th inning.

“We didn’t agree with the 2-2 pitch to Stallings,” said Cora. “They (the umpires) have the toughest job in baseball.”

Stallings lined out to second for the first out of the 10th before Hilliard homered off Zack Kelly.

“I was just trying to tell myself to shorten up and don’t do too much, and I was able to put the barrel on it and it went,” said Hilliard, who has three homers in 36 at-bats since being added June 21.

“There is no quit in these guys. We’re never going to lie down. We feel we can compete and beat anybody. Play spoiler, whatever you want to call it.”

Boston grounded into double plays in the eighth, ninth and 11th, the first two ending an inning.

Pinch-hitter Dominic Smith doubled in the first run and Rafael Devers added a sacrifice fly in Boston’s two-run 10th for a 7-5 lead, but Hilliard tied the game on a 450-foot homer with one out in the bottom half.

O’Neill had three hits for the Red Sox, who were swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend but are 29-21 on the road, the third-best record in the majors.

“It’s been a tough four games for us, but that’s all it’s been,” O’Neill said. “We’re just one swing away, one out away, in all these games here. It’s just one of those stretches. We have confidence in ourselves.”

Boston starter Tanner Houck gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings. He entered with a 2.54 ERA, fourth-lowest in the majors.

Blackmon hit a two-run homer off Houck in Colorado’s four-run third. Boston came back with four runs in the fifth behind Jamie Westbrook’s three-run homer off Austin Gomber. Westbrook is in his 11th pro season, his first in the majors.

“All in all, stuff was just kind of flat,” said Houck, who made his first appearance at Coors Field. “Not as sharp as it usually was. Ultimately, it comes down to executing a little better, a little finer.”

Gomber gave up four runs and six hits, five in the fifth. He struck out five and walked one in 5 2/3 innings.

“I made one bad pitch and gave up a three-run homer,” Gomber said. “It’s the best I’ve thrown the ball since 2021, stuff-wise.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (left shoulder) received a standing ovation in his return to Coors Field for the first time since signing with Boston before the 2022 season. He is expected to miss the rest of the season but said he “possibly” could return by the end of the year. … RHP Justin Slaten (right elbow inflammation) played catch but is not expected to be activated when eligible to return Thursday.

Rockies: 1B Kris Bryant (bruised rib, oblique strain) went through a full pregame workout at Coors Field and could be activated Tuesday. Bryant was 5 for 5 with a 384-foot homer and four singles in his last rehab game for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday. He has not played in the majors since June 2. … C Elias Diaz (right calf strain) missed his second straight game. … All-Star 3B Ryan McMahon (jammed finger) was held out of the starting lineup. ... Tovar returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game with the flu.

LHP Ty Blach (3-5, 5.46 ERA) pitches Tuesday for the Rockies after scheduled starter Germán Márquez was placed on the injured list Monday. The Red Sox had not announced a starter.

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