Muñoz strikes out seven over six innings to get 1st major league win, Marlins beat Rockies 4-1

MIAMI (AP) — Roddery Muñoz pitched six strong innings to get his first major league win and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Making his second major league start, the 24-year-old Muñoz (1-0) gave up one run and three hits while striking out seven and walking two. After allowing two base runners in the first, Muñoz retired 11 straight before Elehuris Montero’s one-out single in the fifth.

“This is something I have always dreamed of and thank God, I am accomplishing it,” Muñoz said in Spanish. “It is very emotional not only for me but my family.”

Muñoz also had a solid debut, when he allowed two runs in five innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 20 but was optioned to Triple-A after his outing. He was recalled by the Marlins on Tuesday.

“That is normal, one knows how this works,” Muñoz said. “What you do is work even harder to return here.”

Emmanuel Rivera singled twice, walked and was hit by a pitch, while Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz each drove in a run for the Marlins, who won their first series of the season. Dane Myers drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the eighth and has five RBIs over the last two games.

“We have a good group of guys, good ball players,” Rivera said. “We go out every time to try to win. Obviously, it is not always going to happen but we always come with that winning mentality.”

The Rockies are the first team since 1900 to have trailed at one point in each of their first 30 games. They lost their fourth straight since scoring six in the eighth and rallying from a five-run deficit to beat San Diego 10-9 April 25.

“We’ve got to keep on fighting,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I think the youth on this team is being served. They’re learning and they learn that it’s hard in the big leagues with big league pitching. “

Arraez hit a two-out RBI single against Rockies starter Dakota Hudson and scored on De La Cruz’s double to put Miami ahead 2-0 in the fifth.

Elias Díaz’s run-scoring grounder in the sixth got the Rockies to 2-1 after Muñoz walked Brenton Doyle and allowed Ryan McMahon’s double.

Bryan Hoeing relieved Muñoz and got the next five outs. Tanner Scott completed the eighth and Anthony Maldonado closed with a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

“Some really good wins the last couple and it started with the starting pitching,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Roddery was amazing today. The slider was real. The fastball command was great. Excellent job by Roddery.”

Hudson (0-5) allowed two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two, struck out two and hit a batter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (left elbow strain) is improving and could progress to a throwing session soon.

Marlins: SS Tim Anderson (mild left thumb sprain) was scratched from the original lineup as a precaution. Anderson didn’t start Tuesday but entered as the automatic runner in the 10th inning and scored the tying run in Miami’s 7-6 win.

UP NEXT

RHP Peter Lambert (2-1, 4.67) will start the series finale for the Rockies on Thursday while the Marlins will go with RHP Edward Cabrera (1-1, 5.28).

AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/MLB

Colorado Rockies' Elias Díaz (35) hits a single to right field during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Emmanuel Rivera (15) scores on a hit by Luis Arraez during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins third baseman Emmanuel Rivera throws to first base for an out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins Dane Myers hits a single to bring in two runs during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Roddery Munoz aims a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Dakota Hudson (32) aims a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Emmanuel Rivera (15) hits a single to center field during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Luis Arraez runs to score on a hit by Bryan De La Cruz during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

PARIS (AP) — With Victor Wembanyama as the focal point, France head coach Vincent Collet announced an extended list of 19 players on Thursday for his preliminary roster for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Fresh off winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award, the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama will bolster France’s medal aspirations alongside key players like Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and Evan Fournier.

In Gobert and Wembanyama, France boasts two of the NBA’s best defensive players. Gobert won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award for the fourth time of his career, narrowly beating out Wembanyama.

“The key to building the team will be establishing an uncompromising defense," Collet said at a news conference. We have profiles that excel in this area."

The roster, to be trimmed to 12 players for the tournament, includes newcomers Bilal Coulibaly, Ousmane Dieng, and Killian Hayes, who all also played in the NBA this season.

Notably, the list features five point guards, compensating for the absence of Thomas Heurtel, who has played the position regularly for France for the last decade but is left out because of his Russian club affiliation.

The French team, which took silver in Tokyo, will play a number of tough opponents in warmup games before the tournament, including Turkey, Germany, Serbia, Canada, and Australia.

At the Olympics, France will be in Group B alongside Germany, Japan, and the winner of an upcoming qualifying tournament.

Follow AP coverage of the Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, bottom, during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 12, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

FILE - San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots in front of Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. Wembanyama has been named NBA Rookie of the Year after a record-setting season. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)