What better way to break up a pitchers’ dual than with a grand slam? And what better way to win a game than in walk-off fashion.

Through four innings, the Rockies and Cardinals were tied 0-0 before Nolan Arenado came up to the plate with the bases juiced and rocked a homer out to center field, scoring all of Colorado’s runs in one swing. But, St. Louis battled back to tie the game in the seventh, and in extra innings, win the game in the 10th when Marcell Ozuna went yard.

Carlos Martinez was cruising through the game for the home Cardinals, allowing only four hits and a walk through 4.2 innings, but then, he suffered right shoulder soreness and was pulled from the game with two on in the fifth. Daniel Poncedeleon then entered the game and walked Ian Desmond to load the bases which is where Arenado came through huge.

For Arenado, it was the fifth grand slam of his career and the first-ever by a Rockies player in St. Louis.

St. Louis responded in the bottom of the fifth with a home run of their own, a solo shot by Jedd Gyorko to bring the game to 4-1, Colorado. Tyler Anderson had sat down the previous 12 straight batters at the time of the homer, and he continued to pitch phenomenally through six innings.

But in the seventh, Anderson’s location — which was spot-on all night — faltered as he walked the bases loaded with no outs and was pulled from the game. Scott Oberg entered the action with the bases juiced, striking out former Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler before walking in a run and bringing the game to 4-2, Colorado.

Arenado came through huge again, charging a grounder and throwing home to get the force at the plate without allowing another run. The seventh inning was disastrous for the Rockies, though, as Matt Carpenter came through with a two-out single to score two and tie the game up at 4-4 through seven.

In the eighth inning, Arenado reached by beating out a throw, and eventually advanced to second base, but he couldn’t score from there as the game went to the bottom of the frame still tied up 4-4.

In that ninth inning, Colorado was unable to score, and even after Fowler made his way to third base with two outs, Carlos Gonzalez saved the game and sent it into extra innings when he caught Yadier Molina’s pop fly with a great first step.

Another inning, another one scoreless for the Rockies, five straight for those keeping track. Meanwhile, Marcell Ozuna knocked a solo bomb out to center field to win the game 5-4 for the Cardinals.

Colorado falls to 57-48, 2.0 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. The Rockies take on the Cardinals in Game 2 of the series tomorrow at 6:10 p.m. MST.

Notes:

The Rockies have allowed an MLB-worst 82 runs in the seventh inning including the three they gave up Monday night.