The Rockies bats came alive after a difficult road trip in the 11-2 win over Philadelphia. Colorado starter Chad Bettis produced a quality start and Story and Reynolds drove in four runs each as the Rockies were in control from the outset.
The Rockies kicked off the scoring, getting one run in the bottom of the first off another DJ LeMahieu single and a Nolan Arenado double to center field. Unfortunately, that lead wouldn’t last long.
Bettis gave up a long ball to Ryan Howard, notorious Rockies-home-run-againster who hit his 12th career home run against Colorado. Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis followed that with a double to right and things started to look familiar for Bettis and the Rockies. Reynolds made two consecutive plays at first to effectively end the threat.
The Reynolds show continued in the bottom of the second with an opposite field home run on a 3-2 count. That was Reynolds’ 246th home run, placing him 221st on the all-time home run list. Nick Hundley followed that up with a single but was stranded at second but the Rockies got the lead, 2-1.
After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third, the Rockies threatened again with back-to-back singles by LeMahieu and Arenado to begin the bottom half. Carlos Gonzalez grounded into a fielder’s choice and Story went down 1-2 after being fooled by a changeup. Three pitches later, Story was jogging around the bases for the 20th time this season, continuing his bid for an All-Star selection (#VoteStory).
Maikel Franco, Philadelphia’s hottest (and arguably best) hitter laced a double to right-center to start the top of the fourth and scored on a Howard single two batters later. Bettis limited the damage and got out of the inning on a 3-6-3 double play.
All was quiet until there was two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The story picked up when Trevor Story his his 21st home run, tied for most by a rookie before an All-Star Break and putting the Rockies up 6-2.
Bettis had a strong showing tonight, allowing seven hits, one run, one walk, and striking out five in 6 ⅔ innings. He got into a bit of a jam in the top of the seventh with runners on the corners and two outs and Odubel Herrera, the lone Phillies All-Star, coming up to the plate. Luckily, the Rockies have a resurgent Boone Logan on their side who came in and struck out Herrera to end the threat.
The Rockies blew it wide open in the bottom of the seventh. Charlie Blackmon started it with a single, stole second, and scored on a patented opposite-field single from LeMahieu, his third hit of the night. After an Arenado strikeout, Gonzalez tapped and infield hit and Story walked to load the bases. Up came Reynolds, the early-game hero, and he does it again; a bases-clearing double pushed the score to 10-1. After a Hundley groundout, Brandon Barnes looped a single to center and scored Reynolds, giving every starting position player a hit on the night. Pinch-hitter Cristhian Adames popped up to right to end the outburst.
Jason Motte and Adam Ottovino (yay!) closed out the game as the Rockies got off to a good start to their final series before the All-Star Break.
The Rockies and the Phillies face off again tomorrow at 6:10 MT. Jon Gray will face off against Vincent Velasquez in a battle of two young right-handers.