DENVER – Boom. Crack. Thwack. The sounds of bats waking up after a long slumber.
All the talk coming into Wednesday night’s Colorado Rockies game was how stuck in the mud the offense has been of late, scoring exactly three runs in their last six games and no more than three runs over their last eight. But the Rockies wreaked havoc in the third of a four-game set against the Atlanta Braves, scoring 17 runs on 18 hits.
It was Bark In the Park night at Coors Field so the 17-2 win translates roughly to 119-14 in doggie runs.
It was the second time in Colorado Rockies history that at least three players have recorded at least three RBI. The only other time was on August 11, 1998 when Todd Helton, Vinny Castilla, and Mike Lansing achieved the feat.
Trevor Story set the pace with his first multi-home run game of the season and a career-high six RBI. It was a huge night for Story who also made a few fantastic plays with the glove to back up our claim that he belongs in the Gold Glove conversation at shortstop.
WOW. JUST. WOW. pic.twitter.com/GfPb7OmJS8
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 17, 2017
Jon Gray was excellent, tossing six strong innings, not giving up any runs until his final frame. He gave up five hits, walking two and striking out six.
Gray did not allow a base runner until Ender Inciarte opened up the fourth with a single just past the reach of LeMahieu at second. Inciarte was immediately erased off the base paths on a gorgeous diving stop turned double play from Arenado, the best defender in the game.
DJ LeMahieu continues to own Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz. He is now 10-for-12 against him with a four-hit night in the big win. He became the first Rockies player since Carlos Gonzalez in 2010 to record five four-hit games in one season. It is the ninth time in his career LeMahieu has had such a game.
Story’s second homer of the night and 18th of the season put a bow on this one in the seventh.
A pair of base hits for Charlie Blackmon and LeMahieu set the stage for a Nolan Arenado two-run double that. The hit gave Arenado 103 RBI, still comfortably the most in MLB. He scored on a double from Gerardo Parra that almost left the yard, crashing off the top of the wall in left field to give the Rockies a 14-0 lead.
Mark Reynolds delivered a huge blast in the fourth on the very first pitch out of the bullpen from Atlanta, taking a Luke Jackson fastball and hammering it over the center field fence to score three runs and make it 9-0, Rockies. It was Reynolds second home run in as many days. Two batters later, Trevor Story backed Reynolds by repeating the two-homer-in-two days with a two run shot on a low line drive that just cleared the left field fence. Reynolds now sits at 25 home runs this season, Story with 17.
Colorado’s sixth run of the game came in the third inning on an opposite-field double from Lucroy and a single up the middle from Story. For the second straight inning, Lucroy scored with a good slide on a close play at the plate.
S A F E! S A F E! pic.twitter.com/XBTsFrN1NF
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 17, 2017
Lucroy drew a walk to lead off the second. After a pair of strike outs from Story and Gray, Blackmon drew a walk and LeMahieu delivered his second straight single to center field, scoring Lucroy once the original call was overturned with instant replay. Arenado walked and Parra singled to center to make it 5-0, Rockies.
LeMahieu started things with a single right back up the middle and Arenado followed with a double to the left field wall. Parra came through with the productive out that has eluded the Rockies so much the last week, hitting a groundout to shortstop that scored LeMahieu and Mark Reynolds lined a soft single into center field to score Arenado.
Colorado improved to 67- 53 and with the Arizona Diamondbacks taking a loss in Houston have moved into sole possession of first place in the National League Wild Card.
0 Comments (1 conversation)
I literally spit out my drink just reading the headline of your story, Drew. No joke. I watched the game tonight and with Spilly in the rockpile with everyone and their dog. Keep up the excellent work. 🙂
Eric Schlelein
Yeah, great headline!