Colorado Rockies 5, Milwaukee Brewers 4: Monster home runs power Rox to sweep

Colorado Rockies corner outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Corey Dickerson hit two of the hardest balls I've ever seen hit in my life tonight, powering the Rockies to a 5-4 win and an opening series sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rockies No. 3 prospect Eddie Butler had a nice showing in his first start of 2015, really only making one big mistake pitch to Adam Lind. His final line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 4 BB.

A two out walk to Jonathan Lucroy came back to haunt Butler in the bottom of the third when it was followed by an Adam Lind home run. Lind destroys right-handed pitching, had been cookin' all spring, and got ahold of a decently located pitch, which is why it is all the more important to limit the walks.

The five strikeouts is encouraging and it was nice to see him work out of a jam in his final inning after allowing the first two men to reach he was tasked with starting a double play himself on a come-backer and did so steadily. He was picked up by Christian Friedrich who came in to get the final out and strand the runner at third.

It was a professional outing from Eddie Butler.

The Rockies got their first run of the game on a two-out RBI single from DJ LeMahieu in the top of the fifth. He scored Nolan Arenado from third who had of course doubled. The Rockies tied the game in the top of the seventh on a solo home run from Corey Dickerson that may have caused some property damage. He hit an 0-2 pitch that hard.

The Rockies dealt with some tough BABIP luck all night, hitting some hard line drives right at defenders and being the victims of some excellent defense, most especially on a highlight play from Khris Davis robbing Carlos Gonzalez of extra bases in the top of the sixth.

But the Rockies took the lead in the top of the eight when Charlie Blackmon joined the doubles parade and Carlos Gonzalez hit one that Davis (and Superman) just wasn't going to catch.

Purple Row community member Thnikkman was in the house and snapped this shot of the swing:

Cargo's home run swing. #GoRockies pic.twitter.com/vSQcXIJCME

— Thnikkaman (@nabrahamson) April 9, 2015

Our own Russ Oates provides the vine:

CarGo homer! https://t.co/QhYz67p5pf

— Russ Oates (@ROates33) April 9, 2015

We will be watching that for a while. We'll tell you how far it went when it lands.

Things got hairy in the ninth when after retiring the first man he faced, LaTroy Hawkins gave up back to back ground ball singles. DJ LeMahieu made a stellar play to get the second out at first but the tying run moved into scoring position.

Hawkins got a weak ground ball from Ryan Braun but it was too soft for Nolan Arenado to have a play and a run scored to tighten things to 4-3. And another ground ball single from Carlos Gomez tied the game at four.

It was Hawkins first blown save of the season. No ball was hit particularly hard, which was frustrating on a night when the Rockies found themselves at the other end of the BABIP stick.

But, in the top of the 10th inning, The Baby Bull Wilin Rosario hit another monster shot to deep right center field after working the count to 3-2 to put the Rockies up 5-4.

And, in a fun twist of fate, new Rockies and former Brewers reliever -- in fact single season saves leader for Milwaukee -- John Axford came on to close it out in the bottom of the tenth. Axford got three quick outs including a strike out to finish off the sweep.

How sweep it is.

Source: FanGraphs