Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Whitlock delivers in the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Fenway Park on Wednesday. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
BOSTON — Alex Verdugo and Rob Refsnyder had two RBIs apiece and the Boston Red Sox rallied in a five-run seventh inning to avoid a sweep with a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.
The start of the game was delayed more than two hours because of thunderstorms.
Garrett Whitlock (4-2) pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits with seven strikeouts. He improved to 3-0 in his past four starts.
Red Sox starting pitchers have a 3.55 ERA in their 26 starts since May 17.
“Early in the season we didn’t pitch. We were hitting. But, obviously, over 62 (games) if you pitch, you’re going to have a chance,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
Boston is off Thursday before opening a three-game series with the rival New York Yankees on Friday.
“It really felt like we needed that win,” Refsnyder said. “With how close we’ve been last couple of games, extra innings and things like that. … Hopefully we can build on this, honestly. We feel close, but we’ve just got to start playing better and executing and keep rolling.”
Colorado starter Austin Gomber, who’d struggled in his three previous starts, came out strong. He surrendered just one run over six innings as the Rockies took a 2-1 lead. But he allowed the Red Sox’s first two runners to get aboard in the seventh, starting their rally.
Gomber (4-6) gave up three runs. He struck out five and walked one. He gave up back-to-back singles to Kiké Hernández and Triston Casas to open the seventh and was pulled in favor of Brent Suter. Things fell apart quickly from there.
Suter walked Connor Wong to load the bases for Pablo Reyes. He flied out to center, allowing Hernández to tag and tie the game.
Refsnyder was next and hit a liner toward right fielder Nolan Jones. He tried to make a sliding catch, but the ball skipped under his glove and rolled to the wall. Refsnyder wound up with a triple, with pinch-runner Jarren Duran and Wong both crossing to put Boston in front 4-2.
Colorado brought in right-hander Peter Lambert. He immediately gave up an RBI single to Justin Turner. Verdugo followed that with an RBI double to push the lead to 6-2.
Verdugo also started the night energized, making a run-saving put out at home in the first, followed by an RBI single in the Red Sox’s half of the inning.
That lead held up until the sixth when Colorado got runners to second and third with one out. Ezequiel Tovar flied out to left field, but it was enough to score Brenton Doyle.
Ryan McMahon then doubled off the Green Monster, scoring Nolan Jones to put the Rockies in front.
STRONG ARM
With one out in the first, Tovar got aboard with a double. McMahon was next andlined a single to right. But Verdugo was charging and fired a throw that beat Tovar by several steps at home plate. He was tagged out easily by catcher Connor Wong. Whitlock then struck out Elias Diaz to get out of the inning.
GREAT GRAB
Not to be outdone, Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle had his own highlight in the third inning, laying out on Reyes’ line drive into the gap to rob him of a hit.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (4-7, 3.91 ERA) is scheduled to make his 15th start when Colorado opens its four-game series at Atlanta on Thursday. He allowed one run across five innings in last week’s 3-2 loss to San Diego but didn’t get the decision.
Red Sox: RHP Tanner Houck (3-6, 5.23) is slated to open Friday’s home series against the Yankees. He made the second start of last week’s three-game set in New York, retiring the first nine batters he faced. But he also allowed two solo home runs over six innings in the 3-1 loss.
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