The Rockies hosted the Reds this afternoon for what was ostensibly a baseball game, but ended up being something more akin to a home run derby. The Rockies amassed 15 hits throughout the day, including five that went yard in a beatdown of the visitors.
Kyle Kendrick started for the Rockies and pitched pretty poorly, but was bailed out by a scorching hot offense. The Rockies handed him an early lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-out triple from Ben Paulsen, which drove in two. The hit was the first of many for Paulsen, who had a terrific afternoon. Kendrick allowed three straight singles in the top of the second to bring the score to 2-1 and then gave up his 25th home run of the year to Jay Bruce with two men on to lose the lead and put the Rockies down by one. It was then that I thought to myself, "It's going to be one of those kind of games." But then, however, the Rockies offense did some stuff to the Reds' pitching that is undoubtedly banned in more morally-enlightened parts of the world by scoring a whopping 10 runs in the bottom of the third.
Charlie Blackmon led off the inning and started things with a double that just snuck over Brandon Phillips' glove. DJ LeMahieu grounded out next, but was able to move Blackmon to third. The fireworks really started here. CarGo singled to plate Chuck and crossed the plate after Nolan Arenado's 25th home run of the year. Paulsen then took a 1-1 pitch and deposited it over the wall for his sixth of the season. A single from Nick Hundley and a triple from Daniel Descalso then put the Rockies up 7-4. Dylan Axelrod was brought in to replace Michael Lorenzen, but promptly walked Brandon Barnes. Kyle Kendrick then laid down a bunt to score Barnes. Blackmon popped out in the next at-bat before a double from DJ LeMahieu and a shot from Carlos Gonzalez put the Rockies up 12-4. Nolan Arenado then did the Reds a solid and grounded out to temporarily end the beating.
Kendrick pitched a clean fourth inning before handing things back over to the Rockies, who got him another run courtesy of a second home run from Ben Paulsen. The Reds tacked on two in the fifth, but Carlos Gonzalez answered in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run home run to extend the lead to 16-6.
Gonzalez Germen was brought in to replace Kendrick and pitched a scoreless inning. The Rockies tacked on yet another in the bottom of the sixth inning when Blackmon drove in Drew Stubbs, who had tripled to lead off the inning. Friedrich and Betancourt pitched a scoreless inning each and the Rockies entered the ninth with a 17-6 lead. Boone Logan was brought in to wrap things up for the Rockies, but walked two and allowed a single after getting Jay Bruce to fly out to begin the inning. The Reds would score once on a groundout, but wouldn't cross the plate again as Logan got himself out of the inning.
Monster day for CarGo and Paulsen, who combined to go 7-for-9 with four homers, a triple, and a walk. CarGo's trade value is sky-high right now, so if the Rockies must be pretty pleased if they are indeed considering trading him. Not to be a downer after the win, but Kendrick again looked poor after allowing six runs over five innings and letting up yet another home run. He now has an ERA of 6.33.
Regardless, it was a great win anyway and it was great to see the bats go so hot. The Rockies head to Chicago for a series against the Cubs tomorrow evening as Jorge De La Rosa takes on Kyle Hendricks.
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<th colspan=2>Roll Call Info</th>
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<tr><td width=150>Total comments</td><td>809</tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>Total commenters</td><td>25</tr>
<tr><td>Commenter list</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BostonTransplant">BostonTransplant</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BubbaFan">BubbaFan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Ducks_RockiesFan">Ducks_RockiesFan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ESterps08">ESterps08</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Matt%20Gross%20(RhodeIslandRoxfan)">Matt Gross (RhodeIslandRoxfan)</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NY%20Rox%20Fan">NY Rox Fan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Nephelimdream">Nephelimdream</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Nick95">Nick95</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NoDo%20Joe">NoDo Joe</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Northsider1964">Northsider1964</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/PurpleToPurple">PurpleToPurple</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/RoctoMom">RoctoMom</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Roxman4ever">Roxman4ever</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SDcat09">SDcat09</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Sjamb">Sjamb</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Ted%20Chalfen%20(The%20Ghost%20of%20Marv)">Ted Chalfen (The Ghost of Marv)</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/The%20Lodo%20Magic%20Man">The Lodo Magic Man</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/UFC_151">UFC_151</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/biondino">biondino</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/butterfly2">butterfly2</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/holly96">holly96</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/idj2">idj2</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/misterfish1">misterfish1</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/prettyinpurple">prettyinpurple</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/rockiesfan4ever">rockiesfan4ever</a></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>Story URLs</td><td><div><a href="http://www.purplerow.com/2015/7/26/9041941/game-thread-kyle-kendrick-vs-michael-lorenzen">http://www.purplerow.com/2015/7/26/9041941/game-thread-kyle-kendrick-vs-michael-lorenzen</a></div><div><a href="http://www.purplerow.com/2015/7/26/9043161/overflow-rockies-vs-reds">http://www.purplerow.com/2015/7/26/9043161/overflow-rockies-vs-reds</a></div>
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<th width=20>#</th><th>Commenter</th><th># Comments</th>
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<td>1</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ESterps08">ESterps08</a></td><td>129</td>
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<td>2</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/PurpleToPurple">PurpleToPurple</a></td><td>113</td>
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<td>3</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Nick95">Nick95</a></td><td>107</td>
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<td>4</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Roxman4ever">Roxman4ever</a></td><td>78</td>
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<td>5</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Sjamb">Sjamb</a></td><td>64</td>
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<td>6</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SDcat09">SDcat09</a></td><td>43</td>
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<td>7</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/The%20Lodo%20Magic%20Man">The Lodo Magic Man</a></td><td>40</td>
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<td>8</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Ted%20Chalfen%20(The%20Ghost%20of%20Marv)">Ted Chalfen (The Ghost of Marv)</a></td><td>37</td>
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<td>9</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NY%20Rox%20Fan">NY Rox Fan</a></td><td>31</td>
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<td>10</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/RoctoMom">RoctoMom</a></td><td>24</td>
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<td>11</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Nephelimdream">Nephelimdream</a></td><td>24</td>
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<td>12</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Northsider1964">Northsider1964</a></td><td>19</td>
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<td>13</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Matt%20Gross%20(RhodeIslandRoxfan)">Matt Gross (RhodeIslandRoxfan)</a></td><td>18</td>
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<td>14</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/prettyinpurple">prettyinpurple</a></td><td>18</td>
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<td>15</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/butterfly2">butterfly2</a></td><td>16</td>
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<td>16</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BubbaFan">BubbaFan</a></td><td>12</td>
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<td>17</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Ducks_RockiesFan">Ducks_RockiesFan</a></td><td>11</td>
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<td>18</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/holly96">holly96</a></td><td>9</td>
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<td>19</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/biondino">biondino</a></td><td>4</td>
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<td>20</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/rockiesfan4ever">rockiesfan4ever</a></td><td>3</td>
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<td>21</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/idj2">idj2</a></td><td>2</td>
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<td>22</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/misterfish1">misterfish1</a></td><td>2</td>
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<td>23</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NoDo%20Joe">NoDo Joe</a></td><td>2</td>
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<td>24</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/UFC_151">UFC_151</a></td><td>2</td>
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<td>25</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BostonTransplant">BostonTransplant</a></td><td>1</td>
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<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2015-07-26&team=Rockies&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2015-07-26&team=Rockies&dh=0&season=2015">FanGraphs</a></span>