The Colorado Rockies co-MVP candidates from a year ago played in the same lineup for the first time this spring training with Charlie Blackmon making his first appearance of camp.
And they did what they do.
The Rockies lost to their budding rivals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-4.
In the top of the fourth, Blackmon smacked a double for his first hit of the spring and Nolan Arenado launched his second home run to plate them both. A familiar sight for Rockies fans.
The rest of the Rockies offense came from a last-ditch effort in the ninth powered by a few prospects deeper in the system. Middle infielder Max George, known more for his glove than bat thus far in his MiLB career blasted a solo home run and Garrett Hampson brought in Chris Rabago with a productive groundout.
David Dahl remains hitless this spring, going 0-for-3, though he did put the ball in play in all three at-bats and—as bears repeating—the most important thing at this point is still that he continues to feel healthy as he shakes off the rust of missing the entire 2017 season. He did manage to reach via error and steal a base.
Ryan McMahon, who has played in every game so far this spring, was the only Colorado player to collect multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-3. He is 5-for-9 with a double and three RBI, coming into these games with a lot to prove after the Rockies made no outside-the-organization moves to replace potential production from Mark Reynolds and Carlos Gonzalez.
Top prospect Brendan Rodgers went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
On the pitching side, Kyle Freeland suffered the first rough outing for Colorado starting pitching this spring. Though, he was by no means terrible. He pitched two innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.
Harrison Musgrave, who is a longshot but still a hopeful to make the MLB roster at some point in 2018, got knocked around a bit. The lefty gave up four runs on four hits in his two innings, punctuated by Paul Goldschmidt’s first home run of the spring. At least Musgrave is in good company on the list of guys the Arizona first baseman has homered off of.
Zac Rosscup, also a factor in the left-handed pitching department, gave up a run on two hits in an inning of work.
Jairo Diaz had his second clean inning of the spring, and Shane Broyles looked solid, giving up one hit and no runs in an inning pitched.
And finally, Chris Rusin looked exactly how he did the last time we saw him. He pitched one inning without allowing a base runner, striking out two.
Colorado is now 1-3 this spring. They take on the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday at 1:10 MST.
