Rockies ride Rumfield’s homer, strong bullpen night to 5-2 win over Cubs

Rockies Report, Game 74:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: TJ Rumfield’s two-run homer in the fourth nudged the Rockies out in front to stay Tuesday night, as their embattled bullpen held up its end of the bargain for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to give Colorado a 5-2 win at Wrigley Field.

For the Colorado bullpen, the night represented a stellar rebound from a woeful performance Monday that saw Rockies relievers walk eight Cubs over three innings and five batters in the ninth without recording an out.

Blas Castaño, Victor Vodnik, Brennan Bernadino, Jaden Hill surrendered just one hit and a single walk over 4 1/3 innings to preserve the win. Castaño earned credit for the win — his first as a major-leaguer, and his first decision of either type in MLB — while Hill finished off the Cubs to notch his first major-league save.

Willi Castro also delivered a pair of RBI for the Rox, one via a fourth-inning double that immediately preceded Rumfield’s homer, and another via a fifth-inning groundout. Colorado’s other run came home via a Ryan Rolison wild pitch in the fifth inning.

Colorado improved to 28-46.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Four pitches into his night, Ryan Feltner watched a fastball land 386 feet away over the right-field fence, as Pete Crow-Armstrong took him deep and put Feltner and the Rox into an early 1-0 hole.

But that would be the only time that the sizzling Crow-Armstrong reached base at Feltner’s expense. The Colorado starter struck out Crow-Armstrong in their next two duels, and that encapsulated an evening in which Feltner largely strengthened as the innings progressed, although he did have to wiggle out of putting two on with one out in the fourth inning before escaping.

Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer relieved Feltner after 4 2/3 innings with his pitch count at a season-high 104.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Hill retired the Cubs in order in the ninth to preserve the win and earn the save.

NUMBER TO NOTE: .357 — Rumfield’s average over his last 10 games. He’s slugging .893 in that span with three home runs.

WHAT’S NEXT: Sean Sullivan will make his second major-league start as the Rockies look to claim the season series — and take their second-straight series win over Chicago. Javier Assad gets the nod for the North Siders. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. MDT.