DENVER (Interstat) — Tomoyuki Sugano allowed two runs over five innings and Mickey Moniak drove in two runs, including a go-ahead run on a hit-by-pitch in the eighth inning, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Coors Field.

The Rockies, coming off a 9-1 loss to Arizona a day earlier, evened the series behind 12 hits and a strong relief effort. Colorado improved to 18-28, while Arizona dropped to 21-23.

Sugano (4-3) scattered seven hits, struck out one and walked two. He yielded a run in the second inning and another in the fifth before departing. Antonio Senzatela worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save.

Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez (4-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing three runs on nine hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked none.

The Diamondbacks struck first in the top of the first inning. Ketel Marte singled on a sharp line drive to right field, and after Corbin Carroll lined into a double play, Geraldo Perdomo singled. But Nolan Arenado flied out to end the inning with Arizona leading 1-0. The run came after Carroll’s double play erased Marte, but the scoring chance had already been established.

Colorado answered immediately in the bottom half. Willi Castro singled, and Brenton Doyle followed with a ground-rule double to left field, putting runners at second and third. TJ Rumfield singled to center, scoring Castro. After Hunter Goodman struck out, Moniak singled to center on a fly ball deflected by left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., scoring Doyle and tying the game at 2-2. Ezequiel Tovar and Sterlin Thompson both struck out to end the inning.

The Rockies took the lead in the second inning. Kyle Karros doubled to left field, and Jake McCarthy singled to left, scoring Karros. McCarthy was thrown out trying to advance to second on the throw from Gurriel to second baseman Ildemaro Vargas. Castro then singled, but Doyle struck out and Rumfield grounded out to end the inning with Colorado ahead 3-1.

Arizona cut the deficit in the fifth inning. Marte hit a ground-rule double to center field, and Carroll followed with a double to right field, scoring Marte to make it 3-2. Perdomo lined out, Arenado grounded out and the threat ended.

The game remained tight until the bottom of the eighth inning, which proved decisive. With one out, Doyle singled on a sharp ground ball to center field. Rumfield walked, and Goodman singled to center, loading the bases. Moniak was hit by a pitch, forcing in Doyle and extending Colorado’s lead to 4-2. The Rockies challenged a force play at home on the next at-bat, and the call was overturned: Tovar grounded into a force out at home, with catcher James McCann tagging Rumfield for the second out. Troy Johnston struck out, and Karros grounded out to shortstop to end the inning, but the damage was done.

Arizona mounted a final threat in the ninth. Adrian Del Castillo flied out, but Ryan Waldschmidt singled to left. Marte walked, putting runners at first and second. However, Senzatela struck out Carroll and got Perdomo to fly out to center, sealing the victory.

Key performances for Colorado, listed in descending order of importance, included Doyle (2 for 4), Moniak (1 for 3, two RBIs), McCarthy (2 for 3, one RBI), Johnston (0 for 1 as a pinch hitter and right fielder), Castro (2 for 4), Juan Mejia (1 2/3 innings, no hits, no earned runs), Goodman (2 for 4), Sugano (5 innings, seven hits, two earned runs, one strikeout), Thompson (0 for 3) and Jaden Hill (1 1/3 innings, one hit, no earned runs, two strikeouts).

For Arizona, Marte finished with two hits, including a double, and Carroll had a double and an RBI. Gurriel doubled and singled, while Perdomo singled twice.

The announced attendance was 34,405, and the game lasted 3 hours, 7 minutes.

Colorado will host Arizona again Sunday in the series finale before welcoming the Texas Rangers for a three-game series. Arizona travels to San Francisco for a three-game set beginning Monday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Arizona 4, Colorado 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Arizona with a 65.50 percent probability to win. Arizona had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 11.5.