Watch: Rockies somehow surrender a bases-clearing sacrifice fly
Feb 22, 2025, 3:46 PM | Updated: 3:58 pm
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The Colorado Rockies got their second spring-training win in as many days on Saturday, but the moment that went viral wasn’t a part of making that happen.
The three runs surrendered by the Rockies in what would be a 9-3 win over their fellow Salt River Fields tenants, the Arizona Diamondbacks, came in stunning fashion — on a Ketel Marie sacrifice fly that stunningly cleared the loaded bases in the top of the fourth inning.
Sam Hilliard fielded Marte’s deep fly at the warning track and Jordan Lawlar scored from third base. But then Blaze Alexander was waved around as Hilliard slowly turned to make the throw back to shortstop Ezequiel Tovar.
At that point, the reigning Gold Glove winner saw Alexander racing for home and fired the type of throw one wouldn’t expect to require after a sacrifice fly.
YOU EVER SEEN A BASES-CLEARING SAC FLY?! pic.twitter.com/z7s4wjuytB
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 22, 2025
The throw sailed well wide of the plate toward the Arizona on-deck circle and ricocheted off the away from catcher Drew Romo and back toward the first-base side. Left chasing, Romo scrambled for the ball while Arizona’s Jorge Barrosa — who started the at-bat on first base — kept on chugging and was sent home.
Barrosa scored without a throw.
Officially, only Barrosa’s run was unearned.
It got better for the Rockies in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Michael Toglia deposited a Jose Cabrera offering over the left-center field fence for a 3-run homer that effectively negated the damage of the unusual sacrifice fly moments earlier.
But unfortunately, the Rockies provided a blooper that will receive far more air time than anything else from an opening pair of spring-training games that has already seen their young power hitters on prominent display.
In addition to Toglia’s 3-run blast Saturday, prospect Zac Veen had a solo home run in the win. A day earlier, outfielder Brenton Doyle clubbed a grand slam.
HOLY ZAC VEEN pic.twitter.com/XbLOGQsbPF
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) February 22, 2025
So, there’s plenty to like from the first two spring-training games … but one unforgettable moment they’ll want to forget, too.
