Rockies walk off Cubs on rookie Sterlin Thompson’s RBI single

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 68:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Sterlin Thompson’s ninth-inning ground-ball single to right field brought home Troy Johnston and gave the Rockies a 3-2 series-clinching win over the Chicago Cubs in front of 31,802 at Coors Field on Tuesday night.

Brought in as a punch hitter for Chad Stevens, the rookie turned on an 0-1 pitch from Chicago reliever Daniel Palencia, scoring Johnston, who had reached base on a leadoff walk. Catcher Brett Sullivan — who, like Thompson, worked in a pinch-hitting role — set up Thompson with a single to right field, moving Johnston to third base with no one out.

It didn’t last. Antonio Senzatela stepped in to handle the ninth inning, but he blew the save opportunity within two pitches, as Ian Happ capitalized on a cutter that settled over the heart of the strike zone, drilling it 424 feet off of the right-field second deck to tie the score. Senzatela rebounded to escape the inning with no further damage, erasing a Seiya Suzuki single by inducing a 6-4-3 double play.

That set the stage for Thompson’s ninth-inning heroics. All three RBIs came off the bats of rookies.

“Those guys are living the dream, man. It just shows they come ready to play; it doesn’t matter how young they are. It’s very gratifying,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Colorado improved to 26-42 after winning its second-straight game.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

It wasn’t everything that Michael Lorenzen wanted; he pitched into trouble in the fourth and fifth innings, ending his night one frame short of a quality start. But by every other measure, this was the start that the struggling veteran right-hander desperately needed — and at home, to boot.

Lorenzen was perfect for the first three innings, needing 32 pitches to dispatch the Cubs on his first time through the order. Pete Crow-Armstrong broke up the no-no with a leadoff triple off the Bridich Barrier in the fourth inning. He later scored, but that would be the only run off Lorenzen, who dropped his ERA from 8.01 to 7.54.

He mixed six pitches, working his off-speed options heavily.

“I felt good for a while now, but the results just weren’t there. You’ve kind of gotta stick with it and trust it, and I did for a while, and nothing was changing, so, that’s where it’s walking that fine line of making adjustments but not making too many adjustments, and I just had had enough of getting those types of results. And so, I felt like an adjustment was necessary to be made,” Lorenzen said, adding that he threw from the windup for the first time in “six or seven starts.”

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Thompson fired a single through the hole in the right side of the infield to walk it off.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 7 — Strikeouts for Lorenzen, his highest tally of the season.

WHAT’S NEXT: Ryan Feltner takes to the mound for a Thursday matinee as the Rockies attempt to complete the sweep. Edward Cabrera gets the call for the Cubs. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. MDT.