DENVER (AP) — Pinch-hitter Sam Hilliard tied the score with a two-run home run in the ninth inning and Brenton Doyle hit a game-winning single in the 10th inning to help the Colorado Rockies come back and beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Saturday night.

Michael Toglia hit a home run, Charlie Blackmon had three hits and Doyle drove in three runs for the last-place Rockies, who won their second straight game against Chicago.

Cody Bellinger and Pete Crow-Armstrong both hit solo home runs for the Cubs, who are six games behind the Braves and Mets for the third NL wild card.

The Rockies trailed 5-3 in the ninth inning and their first two batters struck out reliever Porter Hodge. But then Hunter Goodman singled to bring up Hilliard, who was batting for Jordan Beck.

“He obviously threw to two great hitters,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Goodman had a good at-bat to get a walk. And Hilliard, give him credit. I don’t think he’s allowed a home run to a left-handed hitter this year.”

Hilliard took the first pitch for a ball before driving the next one over the right-center fence and into the Rockies’ bullpen to tie the score. It was his fifth career pinch-hit home run and his eighth overall this season. “The biggest thing I told myself was, just relax,” Hilliard said. “Just have a good at-bat. You just touch the ball, it goes, so I tried to take the guy’s fastball because it was up and had a little bit of cut. He just threw it there, right down the middle of the plate, and I hit it well. That’s a good feeling.”

Doyle’s clean single to left field off Drew Smyly (3-8) in the 10th inning automatically turned on Aaron Schunk to end the game.

“I wanted a pitch in the zone, and he threw me a curveball in the zone that started and I just took a good swing at it,” Doyle said. “I didn’t want to hit anything in the ground, so I knew I had to elevate something a little bit, and I did.”

Tyler Kinley (6-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

Jameson Tallion pitched six innings and allowed two runs, but the Cubs’ bullpen couldn’t hold on to the lead.

Chicago led 2-0 when Bellinger led off the fourth inning with a 91-mph sinker off Kyle Freeland into the right-field seats behind the scoreboard for his 18th home run. He narrowly missed adding another home run, hitting a flyball to center in the sixth inning that Doyle caught near the wall.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele, on the 15-day injured list with elbow tendonitis, could be on the verge of rejoining the rotation after another strong bullpen session Saturday. “Everything went well,” Counsell said. “He felt good, threw all his pitches. It was very positive.” Barring a setback, Steele could be back in action within a week.

Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela is expected to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Monday night against Arizona. It will be his first appearance since May 10, 2023, when he left a start against Pittsburgh early. He later underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Senzatela made five starts at Double-A Hartford as part of a rehab assignment prior to his return to the Rockies. “He’s really, really confident physically and I think that’s the biggest thing,” manager Bud Black said. “We’re going to keep an eye on him. We’re hoping he can go four or five innings.”

NEXT

Chicago’s RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-11, 6.51 ERA) will play the final game of the series on Sunday against RHP Cal Quantrill (8-9, 4.63), who returns from the 15-day injured list after recovering from a right triceps strain.

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