DENVER (AP) — Hunter Goodman homered, Michael Lorenzen bounced back from a rough home opener by throwing efficiently into the sixth and the Colorado Rockies beat the Houston Astros 9-1 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
The Rockies won their fourth straight game to move to 6-6. They didn’t win their sixth game last season until May 1. It was also their second series win. A year ago, they didn’t win series No. 2 until mid-June during a season that saw them lose 119 games.
Click to Gallery
Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, center, wears the home run coat as he is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel de Los Santos in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel de Los Santos in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen works against the Houston Astros in the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Lorenzen (1-1) surrendered one run and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander gave up career-highs in hits (12) and runs (nine) Friday in the home opener.
The announced crowd of 15,189 was a franchise-low for a home game without pandemic restrictions. Zach Agnos earned a save.
Goodman hit his second homer of the season in the fourth. After making his way to the dugout, his teammates slipped a purple coat on him to celebrate. Two innings later, Goodman was hit by a fastball from Christian Roa. Several of the Rockies walked out of the dugout before returning.
Colorado gave Lorenzen an early cushion with a five-run second inning.
It was a painful second for the Astros. They lost outfielder Jake Meyers mid at-bat with back tightness and right-hander Cristian Javier mid-warmups in the bottom of the inning with shoulder tightness.
Meyers left the game with a 2-2 count. Brice Matthews took over and delivered a two-out, run-scoring single. Javier was replaced by AJ Blubaugh (1-2), who gave up five runs in the second.
The Astros fell to 1-5 on their 10-game trip.
Astros, after a day off, start a four-game series in Seattle on Friday. Righty Tatsuya Imai (1-0, 4.32) starts for Houston.
Rockies begin a four-game series at San Diego on Thursday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, center, wears the home run coat as he is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel de Los Santos in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel de Los Santos in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen works against the Houston Astros in the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman told The Associated Press on Wednesday in his first interview since the ouster that he was “blindsided” by the move but has no hard feelings and is unlikely to sue.
Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents have not given a reason for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.
“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.
“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”
But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.
“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”
The AP was the first to report on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.
Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.
“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost said.
She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.
Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.
“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “Not 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.”
Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was “astonishing.”
Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.
Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.
Rothman said Wednesday he didn't know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.
“When you come in to effect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people."
Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”
The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.
Rothman said he wasn’t going to speculate on why he was cut loose.
“I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about retribution. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”
Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
