PHOENIX (AP) — Nolan Areando hit a grand slam in the first inning against his former team, Michael Soroka had a successful return on the mound and the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to a big early lead for a 9-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
The D-backs (64-56) moved to eight games above .500 for the first time this season.
Arenado hammered a fastball up in the zone from Gabriel Hughes over the left-field fence for his eighth career grand slam and second of the season. The eight-time All-Star played his first eight seasons in the big leagues with the Rockies.
The D-backs pushed their lead to 7-0 in the second with three more runs. Corbin Carroll had a run-scoring double, Ketel Marte brought home another run on a single and Geraldo Perdomo scored on a wild pitch.
Gabriel Moreno and Ryan Waldschmidt had two hits apiece.
Soroka — who missed nearly two months with a strained left glute — threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his return. The veteran right-hander gave up three hits, walked three and struck out four.
Zack Littell (1-0) made his D-backs debut in relief, giving up two hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old righty was signed on Monday after getting released by the Washington Nationals.
The only major blemish in Arizona's win was that shortstop Geraldo Perdomo left the game after the fourth inning with left knee soreness.
Hughes (0-4) gave up seven runs on five hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out three.
The Rockies have lost six of their last seven.
Up next
The Diamondbacks start LHP Mitch Bratt (1-1, 3.90 ERA) on Tuesday night vs. Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (11-5, 4.51).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
