Austin Gomber hopes the Colorado Rockies’ offense will continue to serve up big portions of run support when he takes the mound against the host Kansas City Royals in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday night.
The Rockies are averaging 7.6 runs in Gomber’s past seven starts, helping the left-hander go 4-0 in that span despite posting a 4.78 ERA.
Colorado demonstrated its explosiveness in the series opener on Friday night, scoring six runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 7-2 win.
Gomber (4-4, 7.00 ERA) got away with a no-decision in his most recent outing, against the New York Mets on Sunday. He departed after allowing six runs in the top of the fourth inning to put the Rockies behind 6-2, but Colorado rallied to win 11-10.
“I thought my stuff was really sharp (against the Mets), but it was just that one inning,” Gomber said. “I feel like that’s been the theme for the last month and half. I’m rolling and then I have that one bad inning. It snowballed a little bit in that one inning.”
Ryan McMahon continues to be the hottest hitter in Colorado’s lineup. He hit his fifth home run in the past eight games on Friday night and delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth inning.
The Royals plan to start left-hander Daniel Lynch on Saturday night.
Lynch (0-0, 3.38 ERA) made his first appearance of the season on Sunday after missing the first two months with a left shoulder strain that occurred during spring training.
Lynch pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Washington Nationals in his season debut, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six and walking three in Kansas City’s 3-2 win.
Lynch is looking for his first victory since Aug. 1. He went 0-6 with a 5.73 ERA over his last 11 starts in 2022.
Kansas City was hoping its starter on Friday night, veteran right-hander Jordan Lyles, could earn his first win of the season after 12 starts, but the Royals could not hold a 2-1 lead they took into the eighth inning.
“We need everybody to be the best they can be,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before Lynch’s season debut. “We’re obviously not in the spot we’d hope to be, but it’s also (57) games or so into the season. We have a chance to right the ship. It’s not on Daniel’s shoulders to do that. It’s on everybody’s (shoulders). The more good pitching we get, the better we are going to be.”
The Royals will look to Edward Olivares, Drew Waters and MJ Melendez to maintain their momentum after solid performances at the plate in the series opener.
Olivares homered for the second time in his past three games. Waters went deep for the first time this season, and Melendez contributed two hits.
–Field Level Media