Hunter Goodman, Ezequiel Tovar homer in back-to-back games, Rockies again beat D-backs 8-2

DENVER (AP) — Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar hit home runs, Ryan Feltner pitched into the seventh inning for his first victory at Coors Field in two years, and the Colorado Rockies beat Arizona 8-2 on Tuesday night, dealing a setback to the Diamondbacks' playoff hopes.

Tovar, who homered in Monday’s 3-2 win over Arizona, finished with three hits and drove in two runs. Goodman also homered Monday and connected for his 13th of the season off Blake Walston in the seventh.

Jacob Stallings and Jordan Beck hit run-scoring doubles and Brenton Doyle added a sacrifice fly for the Rockies. Bud Black also recorded his 535th win as Rockies manager, the most in franchise history, one more than Clint Hurdle.

“That's super special,” Doyle said of Black, who was doused with shaving cream and beer during a post-game celebration in the clubhouse with his players. “I'm sure he's pumped about it. It's a huge accomplishment for him and a huge accomplishment for the Rockies.”

Christian Walker homered and Pavin Smith had two doubles and scored a run for Arizona, which dropped into a tie with the New York Mets for the last two NL wild-card spots. San Diego holds the top spot. The Diamondbacks will try to avert the series sweep when they play the Rockies in Wednesday's finale.

“We’re hitting a little bit of a rut right now,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’ll find our way out of it. We’ve got to do what we do best, be versatile, be focused and play our best game tomorrow. We can’t go backwards and dwell on what’s happened. We’ve got to go 1-0, day game after a night game in Colorado. That’s all I’m focused on right now.”

Feltner (3-10) allowed one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win at Coors Field since Aug. 9, 2022, snapping a franchise-record string of 21 straight starts without a winning decision at home.

“I was on the same page with (catcher Jacob Stallings) all night,” Feltner said. “We had great defense, so just being able to trust Stallings back there and trust the defense as well just frees me up big time. All my pitches were working and I just tried to keep pounding the zone."

Jordan Montgomery (8-7), making his first start since Aug. 21, returned to Arizona's rotation from the bullpen to help fill in for injured starter Ryne Nelson, who was placed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend with right shoulder inflammation.

Montgomery went 4 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is ramping up conditioning and baseball activities at the team’s Arizona training facility as he works toward returning from a left calf injury that has sidelined him since Sept. 2. “Gurriel had four at bats. Came out of that good,” manager Torrey Lovullo said. “Those were live AB’s. And he did some real aggressive baserunning and some outfield work. Tomorrow, he’ll play in an official continuation game.”

Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela is doing well physically the day after making his first start Monday in 16 months following rehab from reconstructive right elbow surgery. Senzatela allowed two runs and four hits in three-plus innings. Manager Bud Black said Senzatela was scheduled to start again on Sunday at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

UP NEXT

LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (2-3, 5.50 ERA) is set to start Wednesday for the Diamondbacks against Rockies's LHP Austin Gomber (5-10, 4.44 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Colorado Rockies' Brendan Rodgers follows the flight of his RBI single in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Angel Chivilli gestures after getting Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll to pop out to end a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom, center, confers with relief pitcher Blake Walston as catcher Jose Herrera looks on after Walston gave up an RBI single to Colorado Rockies' Brendan Rodgers in the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Blake Walston in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll pops out against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Angel Chivilli to end a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Angel Chivilli works against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona Diamondbacks third base coach Tony Perezchica, left, congratulates Christian Walker as he circles the bases after hitting a solo home urn off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jaden Hill in the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar singles off Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery in the fifth inning of a baseball game ,Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman follows the flight of his solo home run off Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Blake Walston in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court sentenced the first two people under a tough new Hong Kong national security law on Thursday, including a man who was given 14 months in prison for wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan. A second man received 10 months for writing pro-independence messages on the back of bus seats.

Chu Kai-pong, 27, wore a shirt on June 12 reading “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” a slogan chanted during anti-government protests in 2019. That day was the fifth anniversary of a demonstration in which thousands of people surrounded the city's legislative council complex to protest a now-withdrawn extradition bill. Months of often-violent protests followed as demonstrators expanded their demands to call for greater police accountability and democracy.

Authorities have said the protest slogan could imply the separation of Hong Kong from China — a red line for Beijing.

Chu pleaded guilty in court on Monday to the charge of carrying out an act or acts with a seditious intent.

The city's new security law, which critics say further stifles freedom of expression, took effect in March and imposes stiffer punishments for sedition offenses. Offenders face up to seven years in prison, up from the previous maximum sentence of two years for a first offense and three years for a subsequent offense.

Colluding with an external force to carry out such activities is now punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

In handing down Chu's sentence on Thursday, Chief Magistrate Victor So said June 12 is viewed as a symbolic date among protesters and Chu's case was not minor because he used the date in an effort to encourage others to remember the unrest and revive ideas about it. That caused a great risk to social order, he said.

He noted that Chu had already been jailed for sedition earlier this year and his subsequent act showed the deterrent effect of his previous sentence was insufficient.

He said Chu “planned to commit a crime shortly after he was released from prison and was evidently unwilling to reform,” but reduced the prison term by one-third because of Chu's guilty plea.

In January, So sentenced Chu to three months in jail under a colonial-era law before the security law took effect. In that case, Chu was arrested for wearing a similar T-shirt at the airport and possessing publications deemed seditious by authorities.

The court heard on Monday that Chu had told police that he wore the T-shirt in June to remind people of the 2019 protest movement. Chu also wore a mask printed with “FDNOL,” an abbreviation of another protest slogan, “Five demands, not one less."

The prosecution accused Chu of attempting to cause hatred, contempt or disaffection toward the country's fundamental system and the city's constitutional order. It said his acts could incite others to use illegal means to change what the authorities have decided on.

In a separate case on Thursday, another man, Chung Man-kit, pleaded guilty to three counts of sedition. So sentenced him to 10 months in prison, saying Chung knowingly broke the law by writing statements on the back of bus seats promoting Hong Kong independence.

The 2019 protest movement was the most concerted challenge to the Hong Kong government since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. It waned because of massive arrests, the exile of democracy activists, the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of an earlier 2020 security law by Beijing.

Amnesty International’s China director, Sarah Brooks, said Chu's conviction and sentencing over his clothing choice highlighted “the sheer malice” of the new security law. She urged local authorities to repeal the law.

“Chu Kai-pong is the first person convicted under this legislation, but its vague wording, vast scope and repressive nature leaves Hong Kongers fearing that he will not be the last,” she said.

The Beijing and Hong Kong governments insist the two security laws are necessary for maintaining the city's stability.

FILE - A protestor holds a flag that reads: "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" at a rally in Hong Kong, on Dec. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)