Colorado Rockies leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon has been a constant on-base threat and has been soaring since returning from an early stint on the disabled list.
Last night, Blackmon belted two homeruns en route to the Rockies blowout 17-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Blackmon managed to extend his on-base streak to 26 games, continuing to add to his career high. In the last 28 days he is hitting .330 with 20 RBIs and seven doubles.
“He just works,” manager Walt Weiss said prior to yesterday’s game. “He’s made himself a very good player, a very good leadoff guy. He never stops trying to get better. I think that’s the reason behind his success.”
Blackmon ledoff the game with a home run — his second consecutive leadoff home run — and then followed up in the seventh with his first career grand slam.
“I think I just got pitches over the plate,” Blackmon said. “I felt good enough to get the barrel on them.”
He then went on to say that the team as a whole was in the zone, not just himself.
A lot of leadoff guys do not posses the skills Blackmon has, making the thump he provides at the top of the lineup, mixed with his speed an ability to get on base, a valuable and rare commodity in today’s game.