The Colorado Rockies are a team known for their ability to score runs … and in abundance. In the first two games of the four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado put up 13 runs in two games. As for the last two games, Colorado’s offense was dormant as they collected just three runs.
Colorado can thank the bottom part of the order for their series win in Milwaukee.
The three big names featured at the top of the order for Colorado — Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu, and Carlos Gonzalez — couldn’t find their rhythm, posting averages of .125, .067, and .125 respectively while collecting just two extra-base hits — both off the bat of CarGo
Never a bad thing when your team can take three out of four while your one-through-three hitters are all kept silent.
Insert Gerardo Parra, Mark Reynolds, and the tandem Tony Wolters/Dustin Garneau.
Though Wolters’ bat was silent in his last two games, the left-handed hitting catcher produced two hits while crossing the plate twice in Colorado’s opening day victory.
As for Gerardo Parra, the laughing stock of Rockies baseball last season, he has proved to everyone that he meant business this offseason and he’s taking advantage of the injury to David Dahl.
Parra, who signed a three-year, $27.5 million contract with the Rockies in 2016, went hitless in Colorado’s series finale Thursday afternoon. However, the 29-year-old native of Santa Barbara, Venezuela, is sporting a .400 average with one run and four RBI in four games played.
Backup catcher Dustin Garneau, filling in for the injured Tom Murphy, went a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish, collecting a double and a walks.
As for the main thump of the order, look no further to the man who accepted a minor-league contract to remain with the Colorado Rockies.
Mark Reynolds.
Reynolds proved to be more than a stopgap in his first season as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Reynolds slashed at a line of .282/.356/.450 with 24 doubles, 14 home runs, and 53 RBI in 118 games last season.
Reynolds was going to make the roster one way or another, either filling in as an injury replacement or by coming off the bench to serve as a defensive replacement or to pinch-hit. With the injury to Ian Desmond in the middle of spring training, Reynolds is making the most of his opportunity as the everyday starting first baseman.
Reynolds has hit safely in his first four games. Not to mention, the veteran collected three straight multi-hit games to start the season, including four extra-base hits — three doubles and two home runs. The first to homers for the Rockies this season. Go figure.
In Thursday’s 2-1 victory over Milwaukee, Mark went 1-for-4 — that one hit was crucial. Reynolds led off the top half of the third inning with a solo home run to right-center off Brewers starting pitcher Chase Anderson — Anderson’s only mistake of the game.
Milwaukee tied the ballgame at one apiece with a solo shot of their own from Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the seventh inning off Adam Ottavino. Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado connected on a home run in the top half of the ninth to give Colorado the last run they needed. Of course, with the fantastic performances of the bullpen were backed up by phenomenal defense from the first baseman driving in all the runs.
As for Mark Reynolds — you can’t make this stuff up. He turned down multiple minor-league contracts, as well as an offer from Korea, to remain with the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies, their fans, and Reynolds have to be pretty ecstatic as what has transpired so far.
