Cactus League game report: Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 3
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Welington Castillo hit a solo home run in the fourth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-3 in their Cactus League opener in front of 6,147 fans on Wednesday.
D-BACKS 6, ROCKIES 3: THREE TAKEAWAYS
* Archie Bradley walked the first batter he faced but threw two scoreless innings and struck out two in his spring debut.
"His fastball had a lot of life," catcher Welington Castillo said. "I was really impressed with his stuff today."
He entered in the third inning and went through the top and middle of the Rockies order. That included facing Carlos Gonzalez, who struck Bradley with a live drive early last season. Gonzales flew out to left on the first pitch.
"I had guys after that first inning say, 'How was it facing CarGo?'" Bradley said. "To be honest, I'm so far past that."
Bradley is competing for the team's fifth starter, with left-hander Robbie Ray and righy Zack Godley, both of whom pitch Friday against the Rockies.
* Rubby De La Rosa got off to a bit of a shaky start as he gave up two runs on three consecutive hits in the first inning. De La Rosa calmed down in the second and set down in order the bottom of the Colorado lineup.
"I was struggling a little in the first inning," De La Rosa said, "but in the second inning I made an adjustment and went after the hitters. I was a little nervous, I guess."
* Castillo belted the D-backs' first home run of the spring, a solo shot to left in the fourth. Castillo, who also doubled, said he wasn't sure how he hit it out since his timing isn't great at this point.
"I'm not worried about my hitting right now," Castillo said. "I'm worried about getting the pitchers through their innings."
Minor leaguer Kyle Jensen also homered for the D-backs.
-- Chris Gabel, FOX Sports Arizona
Nolan Arenado, who led the majors with 130 RBIs last season, doubled in a run in his first at-bat of the spring for the Rockies, who scored twice in the first inning off of Rubby De La Rosa.
De La Rosa gave up two runs and three hits in two innings. Archie Bradley followed him to the mound and pitched two scoreless innings.
Shortstop Jean Segura went 3 for 3 as the D-backs' leadoff hitter. Paul Goldschmidt went 0 for 3.
Castillo homered off Tyler Matzek, who acknowledged performance anxiety helped derail his 2015 season, failed to get anybody out in the fourth.
Diamondbacks: A.J. Pollock was out for a second straight day with a sore right elbow, but took swings before the game.
Rockies: David Hale is out a few days to rest a strained right hamstring.
The teams meet again Thursday, with D-backs' Robbie Ray facing Rockies' Jordan Lyles, who is making his first big-league start since surgery on his right big toe last year.
