Muñoz strikes out seven over six innings to get initial major league win, Marlins have first home win streak
MIAMI (AP) — Roddery Muñoz pitched six strong innings to get his first major league win and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Wednesday night.
Making his second major league start, the 24-year-old Muñoz (1-0) gave up one run and three hits while striking out seven and walking two. After allowing two base runners in the first, Muñoz retired 11 straight before Elehuris Montero’s one-out single in the fifth.
“This is something I have always dreamed of and thank God, I am accomplishing it,” Muñoz said in Spanish. “It is very emotional not only for me but my family.”
Muñoz also had a solid debut, when he allowed two runs in five innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 20 but was optioned to Triple-A after his outing. He was recalled by the Marlins on Tuesday.
“That is normal, one knows how this works,” Muñoz said. “What you do is work even harder to return here.”
Emmanuel Rivera singled twice, walked and was hit by a pitch, while Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz each drove in a run for the Marlins, who won their first series of the season. Dane Myers drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the eighth and has five RBIs over the last two games.
“We have a good group of guys, good ball players,” Rivera said. “We go out every time to try to win. Obviously, it is not always going to happen but we always come with that winning mentality.”
The Rockies are the first team since 1900 to have trailed at one point in each of their first 30 games. They lost their fourth straight since scoring six in the eighth and rallying from a five-run deficit to beat San Diego 10-9 April 25.
“We’ve got to keep on fighting,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I think the youth on this team is being served. They’re learning and they learn that it’s hard in the big leagues with big league pitching. “
Arraez hit a two-out RBI single against Rockies starter Dakota Hudson and scored on De La Cruz’s double to put Miami ahead 2-0 in the fifth.
Elias Díaz’s run-scoring grounder in the sixth got the Rockies to 2-1 after Muñoz walked Brenton Doyle and allowed Ryan McMahon’s double.
Bryan Hoeing relieved Muñoz and got the next five outs. Tanner Scott completed the eighth and Anthony Maldonado closed with a perfect ninth for his first major league save.
“Some really good wins the last couple and it started with the starting pitching,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Roddery was amazing today. The slider was real. The fastball command was great. Excellent job by Roddery.”
Hudson (0-5) allowed two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two, struck out two and hit a batter.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (left elbow strain) is improving and could progress to a throwing session soon.
Marlins: SS Tim Anderson (mild left thumb sprain) was scratched from the original lineup as a precaution. Anderson didn’t start Tuesday but entered as the automatic runner in the 10th inning and scored the tying run in Miami’s 7-6 win.
UP NEXT
RHP Peter Lambert (2-1, 4.67) will start the series finale for the Rockies on Thursday while the Marlins will go with RHP Edward Cabrera (1-1, 5.28).
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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/MLB