Rockies waste Michael Toglia’s Little League grand slam against Cardinals

Even the excitement of a Little League grand slam couldn’t save the Rockies from an inevitable defeat on Friday at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals beat the Rockies on the second night of the four-game series, as St. Louis got to Colorado pitchers early and then late in the game. After Austin Gomber’s rough opening, the Cardinals’ decisive swings came by tagging Matt Carasiti for a three-run eighth.

In the 8-5 defeat, the Rockies were subpar in clutch situations, finishing the game 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine runners.

Gomber, owner of an unsightly 8.18 ERA in the first inning this year entering Friday, continued that trend.

The Cardinals scored three in the opening inning off the southpaw via Paul Goldschmidt’s RBI infield single, Nolan Arenado’s sacrifice fly and Nolan Gorman’s RBI single to center. Considering the Rockies have just two wins this season in games where they trailed by three or more runs, it wasn’t an ideal start.

St. Louis added to the early lead in the second via another RBI knock by Goldschmidt. Colorado threatened to get some back in the bottom of the frame, but veteran right-hander Lance Lynn struck out Michael Toglia with the bases loaded to end the inning.

But the recently recalled Toglia, whose home run robbery highlighted Colorado’s win in Thursday’s series opener, made up for that K in the fourth inning as the Rockies rallied to tie the game.

In that frame, Brendan Rodgers exited the game after appearing to tweak a leg muscle on a fielder’s choice grounder. Alan Trejo replaced Rodgers on the bases and then at second base.

A few batters later, Toglia came up with the bases loaded and promptly laced Lynn’s first-pitch elevated cutter into the corner down the left field line. That scored three on a triple, then Toglia scored on an errant relay throw by Gorman, resulting in a Little League grand slam and a 4-4 game.

In the fifth, with right-hander Kyle Leahy on the mound for St. Louis, Ryan McMahon led off with a double and Trejo singled him home as Colorado took a 5-4 lead. While the visiting bats found life, Gomber zoned in, setting St. Louis down in order in his final three frames.