Troy Tulowitzki scores the game-winning run Tuesday night as A.J. Pierzynski and Ozzie Guillen look away in disgust. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER (AP) Ty Wigginton singled with two outs in the 13th inning to score Troy Tulowitzki all the way from first and lift the Colorado Rockies past the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Tuesday night.Tulowitzki, who drew a one-out walk off Will Ohman (0-1), took off as Wigginton’s flare dropped in shallow center field among three charging White Sox players.
It was the Rockies’ first win in five extra inning games this season.
Rex Brothers (1-0), the Rockies’ seventh pitcher, pitched a hitless 13th to pick up his first major league win and help Colorado snap its three-game losing streak.
The White Sox, making their first appearance in Colorado since 2005, fell to 4-8 in extra inning games this season.
Colorado came close to breaking the deadlock in the bottom of the 12th. Rookie Charlie Blackmon blooped a single off Jesse Crain to start the inning and was sacrified to second by Chris Iannetta. Will Ohman relieved Crain to face pinch-hitter Jason Giambi, who ground out to first, with Blackmon taking third. Carlos Gonzalez was intentionally walked before Ohman fanned Chris Nelson to end the threat.
Starters Gavin Floyd of the White Sox and Jason Hammel of the Rockies each had solid outings, with both going seven innings and allowing two runs.
Seth Smith, whose RBI single forged the game’s first tie in the fourth, had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to even the score again, 2-2.
The White Sox regained the lead 2-1 in the fifth inning on Juan Pierre’s run-scoring single but missed a chance to build a bigger cushion. With the bases loaded and one out – Hammel got in trouble by walking Brent Morel and Floyd – Carlos Quentin hit into an inning-ending double play.
Not that the Rockies were able to take advantage in their half of the fifth. Hammel reached second base with two outs when center fielder Alex Rios dropped a tailing fly ball for an error. Subsequently, Floyd got Gonzalez to ground out. The White Sox made a defensive change in the bottom of the seventh, replacing Rios with Brent Lillibridge.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead on Alexei Ramirez’s home run in the second inning. He drove Hammel’s 0-1 offering into the left field bleachers for his seventh home run of the season.
NOTES: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Adam Dunn, the team’s primary DH, would play Thursday at either first base or a corner outfield position. … Rockies pitcher Esmil Rogers, on the DL since May 7, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday in an attempt to get his rehab back on track. Rogers, who last pitched for the Rockies on May 1, was making his second rehab start while recovering from a right lat strain when he developed a strained left intercostal muscle June 14, forcing a halt to his rehab program. … The Rockies’ Chris Nelson broke an 0-for-15 skid with a leadoff single in the sixth. … The Rockies and White Sox met for the seventh time, the fewest games the Rockies have played against any Major League opponent.
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