Brendan Rodgers, the Rockies’ soft-spoken second baseman, has repeatedly expressed confidence in the team’s ability to overcome its struggles. On Tuesday night, Rodgers backed up his words with a powerful grand slam in the fifth inning, leading the Rockies to a much-needed 7-4 victory over the San Diego Padres at Coors Field.
Rodgers’ first career grand slam was undoubtedly fueled by frustration. Colorado had lost eight of its last 10 games and had not hit a home run in six consecutive games, one short of the franchise record. Rodgers himself had entered the game hitting .194 with no home runs and just three RBIs. He was initially slotted to hit cleanup this season, but he found himself batting eighth on Tuesday night.
Despite his recent struggles, Rodgers possesses a quick, compact, and powerful swing. On Tuesday night, he timed starter Michael King’s 0-2 fastball perfectly, launching a 421-foot homer with a 105 mph exit velocity deep into the left-field bleachers. He paused for a moment to admire his blast, a moment that was well-deserved.
The night had begun ominously for the Rockies, as San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It marked the 24th time in Colorado’s first 24 games that they had trailed at some point. The Rockies joined the 1910 St. Louis Browns as the only clubs of the modern era (since 1900) to trail in their first 24 games. The Browns’ streak extended to 28 games before it ended.
But on Tuesday night, the Rockies’ hitters finally delivered. Nolan Jones, who had been mired in an 0-for-26 slump, sliced a bloop RBI single to left field to break his drought. Jones departed the game after the sixth inning with a stiff back.
Colorado starter Ryan Feltner has shown promise, but inconsistency has plagued him. He allowed four runs on 10 hits in four innings on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 5.68 after five starts. The Padres chased him from the game with a two-run third inning.
However, the Rockies’ bullpen came to the rescue, delivering five scoreless innings. Lefty Jalen Beeks was particularly impressive, mowing down the Padres for three hitless innings while walking one and striking out two. Justin Lawrence pitched the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
The Rockies will look to build on their victory when they host the Padres in Game 3 of the four-game series on Wednesday night at Coors Field.
