Cheeseburgers and Tacos, Rockies offense eats Giants

DENVER – In batting practice before Saturday night’s contest between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, Mark Reynolds was putting on a show. Even some of his teammates stopped to watch. At one point, he hit three straight home runs, the first and third of which landed on the concourse in left field and one-hopped into the Helton Burger Shack. Vinny Castilla shouted out that meant Reynolds should get a free cheeseburger. For those who don’t know, the burger joint named after the Rockies franchise first baseman, Todd Helton, sits more than 500 feet away from home plate.

Well, then what does Reynolds get for smashing one at 108 mph off the bat, parking it 431 feet away to a similar spot … during the actual game? No, he didn’t quite get to the concourse, but this swing gave the Rockies a pair of runs and put his ballclub up by three in the first inning. It was a two-run home run, meaning of course that the first run of the game — the one that gave the Rockies the lead — of course came off the bat of Nolan Arenado, scoring Charlie Blackmon who led off the game with a triple.

Of Arenado’s 12 RBI this season, 11 have either tied the game or put the Rockies in front. The other one was decisive in a 4-3 win in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

Rockies starter, rookie Antonio Senzatela, continues his fantastic first run in MLB. He worked quickly and efficiently across his seven innings, throwing 57 of his 90 pitches for strikes and giving up just one earned run — a solo home run from Joe Panik — on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone.  Senzatela became the first pitcher in franchise history to go at least seven innings in three of his first four starts.

When you are spotting the fastball like this, you’re gonna have a good time:

96 on the black from Senza to K Belt looking… wowzers pic.twitter.com/LhQQmv2C3S

— DNVR Rockies (@DNVR_Rockies) April 23, 2017

The Rockies added a few more in the fourth frame.

Trevor Story hit his second home run in two days, fourth of the season, and third against the Giants. It traveled an estimated 410 feet. So, not quite Mark Reynolds, but he’ll take it. Story has four home runs and one double in his last five hits.

But the Rockies weren’t done yet. Stephen Cardullo walked and scored on a Dustin Garneau double before Charlie Blackmon hit his fifth home run of the season, also his second in the last two games; a 422-foot blast over the center field wall to make it 6-0, Colorado.

The Giants came back in the eighth, plating a pair of runs on a big double from Brandon Belt and a single by Panik. Scott Oberg and Mike Dunn only managed to retire a batter each, and with the tying run at the plate in the form of Brandon Crawford, Bud Black handed the ball to Carlos Estevez, the “Wild Thing” who uncorked a wild pitch but struck out Crawford to end the threat and keep it a 6-3 game in favor of Colorado. Estevez gave a heart fist bump as he walked off the mound.

Colorado got plenty of insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, though. An RBI single from Alexi Amarista gave them seven runs at home for the first time this year. It’s the first time the Rockies have scored at least seven since opening day in Milwaukee.

Gerardo Parra added a pinch-hit RBI single two batters later and Blackmon got himself a “ribbie” on a sac fly to follow, putting the Rockies up 9-3. Things got even crazier after a DJ LeMahieu single put a pair of runners on for Nolan Arenado who was hit by a pitch, possibly in retribution for the Rockies plunking Gorkys Hernandez by Senzatela earlier in the game. Though, that really seemed like an accident by the 22-year-old.

Carlos Gonzalez strode to the plate with tremendous intent to do harm in his eyes after seeing his teammate thrown at, but he didn’t see a single strike, walking on four pitches to set the stage for Mark Reynold’s second big hit of the night; a two-RBI single to make it 12-3 Colorado.

Reynolds is hitting .339 on the season with 16 RBI in 17 games played. (Quick reminder that Ian Desmond’s return does not mean Reynolds has to lose his playing time.)

Of course, this means free tacos (or something?) from some chain taco place, giving the whole day a kind of food theme. Mark Reynolds more than earned his free cheeseburger and Rockies fans more than earned their free tacos, especially after so many close games with little-to-no offense.

Jordan Lyles came in to pitch the ninth and finished the game with a clean inning.

The Rockies moved to 12-6 on the year and maintained their half-game lead in the NL West. The win also secured the series win, making them 4-1-1 in series’ this season.