The Rockies were thrown out twice at the plate Monday night. It used to be that something like that would be the death knell for them on the road.
But not for these Rockies, at least not at this particular point and time.
They’ve emerged from the All-Star break playing solid baseball. Their 10-6 win over Washington at Nationals Park improved their record to 6-3 since the break, including a 3-1 mark on the road.
The formula: excellent work from the bullpen and timely hits, particularly home runs.
Colorado utilized another bullpen game Monday night, and five pitchers, led by “opener” Jake Bird (two scoreless innings, one hit allowed) and Karl Kauffmann (one run over four-plus innings on two hits), squashed the Nats.
At least until Washington scored five runs over the last two innings. Right-hander Gavin Hollowell faltered in the eighth, giving up a two-out, three-run homer to Jeimer Candelario. Hollowell walked CJ Abrams and plunked Lane Thomas to set up Candelario’s homer, which came after Hollowell appeared to turn his ankle on the mound.
“Six zeroes to start the game was ideal,” manager Bud Black told reporters in Washington D.C. “Our offense sort of took off in a number of ways. So it was an all-around good win.”
Colorado’s relievers are on a remarkable run. Over their last 14 games, they have posted a 2.48 ERA and have given up just eight extra-base hits (six doubles, two home runs).
Monday’s big homer came from rookie right fielder Nolan Jones, who mashed a two-run, 420-foot homer off veteran lefty Patrick Corbin in the sixth inning. Jones’ homer, which came immediately after Ezequiel Tovar was nailed at the plate, boosted Colorado’s lead to 4-0.
Jones’ homer was his ninth, and by Jones’ standard, it was a baby blast. He entered the game with an average home run distance of 440 feet, the mightiest among major leaguers with eight or more homers. Bunched in second place, at 423 feet, were Evan Longoria, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Rockies catcher Elias Diaz.
“All around, the guys are swinging the bat well, so it feels really good,” Jones told reporters.
Colorado had 16 hits and was 8-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Utility infielder Alan Trejo, who started at third base when Ryan McMahon got a night off, went 4-for-5 with a double. His four hits were a career high.
“It means a lot when you get a chance to produce — wherever they put you,” Trejo told AT&T SportsNet. “It feels really good. This was fantastic. It was an all-around great effort.”
Outfielder Randal Grichuk, the designated hitter Monday night, continues to deliver exceptional at-bats. In Colorado’s two-run fourth, he delivered a single to score Jurickson Profar from second, and Tovar scored all the way from first. It appeared that Grichuk should have been credited with a two-run double, but center fielder Alex Call momentarily bobbled the ball and was charged with an error. Moments later, Call made up for his miscue by throwing Grichuk out at the plate on Jones’ single.
Grichuk, the subject of trade rumors, extended his hitting streak to eight games. During the streak, he’s hitting .464 (13 for 28) with two doubles, three home runs and six RBIs.
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
