Mickey Moniak's Injury Opened the Door For THIS and the D-backs Are Still Reeling

Hold up, Emerald City, you are NOT gonna believe what went down in Phoenix last night. You think injuries derail teams? Think again. The Colorado Rockies just lost their top slugger, Mickey Moniak, to the 10-day injured list with a right ankle injury, and what happened next is pure baseball magic. Two dudes, fresh off the Triple-A bus, stepped up and straight-up stunned the Arizona Diamondbacks, killing their season-best five-game winning streak in a wild 3-2 comeback victory!

From Albuquerque to Hero Status, Real Fast

So, get this: Mickey Moniak, who's been crushing it for the Rockies with a .280 average, 12 homers, and 28 RBIs in 43 games, goes down. Tough break, right? Not if you're Sterlin Thompson or Chad Stevens. These two were Triple-A teammates earlier this week, just grinding it out. Stevens, a 27-year-old infielder, got the call-up Thursday and jumped right into the starting lineup. Then Thompson, 24, gets recalled Friday to fill Moniak’s spot. Talk about a whirlwind!

And then, in the ninth inning of Friday night’s game, with the Rockies down 2-0 earlier, these guys delivered. Thompson doubled with one out for only his second career hit. Then Stevens, with ice in his veins, followed with the tiebreaking single, his third major league hit! Thompson, playing DH in just his fourth big-league game, was hyped. He said, "It's crazy getting the hit and then Chad bringing me in. It's a great moment. Playing Triple-A together this year, it's just find a way to win, and both of us did that in the top of the ninth." That’s the kind of grit we love to see. Thompson got sent down earlier this month when Tyler Freeman returned from paternity leave, so he’s definitely trying to prove he belongs.

Injuries Shaking Up Both Sides

While the Rockies celebrate their new heroes, they're definitely missing Moniak. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer kept it real, saying, "Mickey never wants to go on the IL. He's a warrior. He's a battler. It's just honest, man-to-man conversation about what's best for him, what's best for the team. He agrees." That shows you the kind of competitor he is. Hopefully, he's back soon. But injuries hit the D-backs too. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who drove in both of Arizona's runs on Friday, left in the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness after a sliding catch. D-backs manager Torey Lovullo says Gurriel is "day to day" and will get imaging on Saturday, adding, "It's unfortunate and we'll try to figure out what that means." Gurriel himself said it "doesn't seem to be too serious" and it happened while running, but still, losing a key bat like that can sting.

Who's Got the Edge in Tonight's Rematch?

Now, the D-backs are looking for revenge after their five-game streak got snapped. They won Thursday's opener 2-1, so this series is tied up. Saturday night brings a pitching showdown. The Diamondbacks are sending right-hander Zac Gallen to the mound, who's 2-4 with a 4.78 ERA this season. He's a tough out for Colorado, with a 9-1 record and a 3.41 ERA in 18 career starts against them. Gallen just snapped a seven-start winless stretch, dominating the Giants 12-2, giving up only two runs and four hits over six innings. Before that, he’d given up 17 runs and 19 hits in 14 1/3 innings across three losses. Guys like Ezequiel Tovar (6-for-13 with a homer) and Hunter Goodman (2-for-8 with a homer) have hit him well, so keep an eye on them.

For the Rockies, it’s right-hander Michael Lorenzen (2-6, 7.03 ERA) taking the bump. He’s trying to break a four-start losing streak where he’s given up 19 earned runs and 29 hits in 20 innings. Last Sunday, he got shelled by Arizona for seven runs (six earned) and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, giving up homers to Corbin Carroll and Gurriel. Carroll has two homers in eight at-bats against Lorenzen. Can Lorenzen turn it around and build on the Rockies' momentum? Or will Gallen shut down these upstarts? Tonight's game is gonna be a battle, and you know we'll be watching every pitch!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.