Wei-Yin Chen made a triumphant return to the rotation, and Martin Prado and Derek Dietrich drove in two runs each as the Miami Marlins defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Saturday night at Marlins Park.
Chen (1-0), who has been suffering from elbow soreness, made his first start since May 1, 2017 -- although he did make four relief appearances last September. On Saturday, he struck out the side in the first inning and needed just 10 pitches to complete a 1-2-3 second. He finished by allowing four hits, two walks and one run in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three.
Prado, a veteran third baseman playing just his second game of the year after being out with a knee injury, had a run-scoring groundout and an RBI double. He also saved a run in the third with a bare-handed catch-and-throw play to end the inning.
Dietrich hit his third homer of the season and added an RBI single.
Colorado starter German Marquez (1-3) took the loss, allowing six hits, three walks, three runs, two earned. He struck out six in six innings.
Both teams were missing starters. Marlins first baseman Justin Bour was a late scratch due to back spasms. Colorado was without starting second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who suffered a hamstring injury on Friday.
Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, who left Friday's game due to a heartbeat issue, checked out fine and should make his next start on schedule.
Miami opened the scoring in the first. J.T. Realmuto battled his way to a six-pitch walk, stole second, advanced to third on Brian Anderson's single and scored when Prado hit a bases-loaded groundout, hustling to first to beat what would've been an inning-ending double play.
The Marlins extended their lead to 2-0 in the third. Starlin Castro singled and advanced when left fielder Gerardo Parra didn't come up with the ball cleanly. Castro then scored when Prado hit an opposite-field double to the right-field corner.
Miami made it 3-0 in the fourth with an unearned run, thanks to a fielding error by Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Dietrich cashed in with an RBI single.
Colorado cut its deficit to 3-1 in the sixth on Charlie Blackmon's ninth homer of the season. Blackmon pulled a 2-1 fastball to right-center. But, later in the inning, Marlins reliever Nick Wittgren worked out of a one-out jam with runners on the corners, getting a strikeout and a fly out.
Three more Marlins relievers completed the win as Tayron Guerrero, Drew Steckenrider and Kyle Barraclough each pitched a scoreless inning. Barraclough picked up the save, his first of the season and the second of his career.
--Field Level Media