There is no meaning to the end results of Spring Training games, but it still feels weird anytime a baseball game ends in a tie.

That’s what happened between the two teams who share facilities at Salt River Fields when the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks tied 6-6. We saw another impressive display from a potential breakout star for the Rockies and more solid pitching from key players.

Turning Point – When Ryan McMahon showed up to the park

McMahon launched a home run to left-center field in the first inning to put the Rockies on the board, going with a perfect inside out swing on a ball down and in. He added a second two-run jack in the sixth to give himself a four-RBI day. He is now tied with Nolan Arenado for the team lead in home runs at three.

Player of the Game – Ryan McMahon

See above.

Runner Up – Garret Hampson

Hampson went 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. He is hitting .280 this spring and showing exactly the kind of versatility that has him serving as such an intriguing player off the bench.

Diamond Details

• Daniel Murphy kept his hot spring alive, going 2-for-3 with a run scored to raise his average to .368
• German Marquez pitched two breezy innings before giving up two runs on three hits in the third. He has been working on developing his fourth pitch, the changeup, and left it up a few times.
• James Pazos continues to look like a guy who will make the Opening Day roster. He pitched a clean inning with a strikeout to lower his Spring ERA to 1.59.
• Elias Diaz did not produce a base hit but did tally a sac fly and once again did not strike out. He’s now hitting .471.
• Jairo Diaz pitched a solid inning with a walk and a series of groundouts. He’s got a 2.25 ERA.
• Bryan Shaw pitched his first scoreless inning of the Spring. He did give up a one-out single and got a bit lucky on a two-out line drive that wasn’t quite high enough to escape the first baseman. He did not face any MLB hitters.

Final Thoughts

This really ought to have been a solid 6-4 win for the purplers on the backs of more solid all-around play. Double-A pitchers blowing two-run ninth-inning leads to Double-A hitters doesn’t mean much so at least you can take away that Colorado’s starters outplayed Arizona’s.

Up Next

The Rockies are on the road to Camelback Stadium tomorrow to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers who walloped them last time. First pitch at 1:05.