Veteran minor leaguer Tim Melville had the game of his life while making an emergency start, earning his first major league victory while leading the Colorado Rockies to a 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix.
The Rockies summoned the 29-year-old right-hander from Triple-A Albuquerque to take the place of scheduled starter Jon Gray, who was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday because of a season-ending stress fracture in his left foot.
Melville pitched seven innings, keeping the D-backs off balance with a slider and slow curve while allowing one run and two hits -- including a line-drive homer by Ketel Marte in the sixth. Melville struck out four and walked two.
He also had his first major league hit and drove in two runs while making his first appearance in the majors in almost two years.
He spent most of the past 11 seasons in the minors, appearing in six big-league games (three starts) over the 2016 and 2017 seasons, with an 0-2 record and 11.05 ERA. He last pitched in the majors for the San Diego Padres on Sept. 25, 2017, and started this season in the independent Atlantic League before the Rockies signed him as a free agent in early May.
Arizona starter Mike Leake (9-10) allowed five runs and eight hits, with one strikeout, in five innings. He is winless in four starts since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners on July 31.
Colorado's first three batters of the game reached base safely, including Charlie Blackmon, whose single drove in leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia. A second run scored when Ryan McMahon hit into a fielder's choice.
Melville had a two-out RBI single as part of a three-run fourth inning. He drove in another run in the sixth on a safety squeeze, scoring Yonathan Daza from third base.
Arizona threatened in the bottom of the first with a double and walk with two outs. Jake Lamb drove a pitch deep to right, but Blackmon made a leaping catch at the wall.
Alex Avila added a solo homer in the eighth inning for Arizona.
Colorado won the season series against the D-backs 10-9, snapping a five-game skid at Chase Field.
--Field Level Media
