If you like offense, this was the interleague baseball game for you.
The Rockies came out in Arlington, Texas and allowed five runs, including two home runs off Chad Bettis in the first inning and trailed 5-0, but stole the lead back in the second 6-5 and held on to win 9-5.
Colorado is back on track, it seems, after losing their last series the Philadelphia Phillies by getting no-hit through six innings in their last game, Thursday. But, Friday night, the offense was hot.
First, Texas stole the lead with a two-run bomb by Juickson Profar, then compounded that lead when Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to score Adrian Beltre, and then Joey Gallo homered; 5-0 Rangers after one.
But, somehow, the Rockies came right back – after that haymaker – and threw an uppercut to take the lead right back.
Ian Desmond knocked a solo homer out. Then, with two outs, D.J. LeMahieu singled to score Gerardo Parra, moving Noel Cuevas up to second base. Charlie Blackmon singled and scored Cuevas. Nolan Arenado – who was riding an 0-19 slump – hit a double to score both LeMahiu and Blackmon, tying the game up 5-5. But, hometown kid Trevor Story kept it going with a single of his own to plate Arenado; 6-5 Rockies, middle of two.
Rangers starter Yohander Mendez was chased from the mound after pitching 72 times in a mere three innings, giving up six runs and seen hits, an ERA of 14.73.
Bettis got back on his game, though, retiring seven in a row in the third and fourth innings.
And then, in the top of the fifth, Desmond knocked another homer out of the building, his 14thof the season to tie Trevor Story and push the lead to 7-5, Rockies.
The bottom of the fifth featured two strikeouts by Bettis as he retired the side, running his streak to 10 retired batters in a row. He finished going 5.2 innings on 106 pitches, giving up six hits while striking out six. After that terrible first inning, Bettis was very good for Colorado, winning the game.
Story — the hometown kid — hit a double in the seventh to send Arenado home, pushing the Rockies ahead 8-5. It was Story’s 52nd RBI, easily leading the Rockies and putting him in a tie for second behind J.D. Martinez. Arenado added another insurance run in the ninth with a solo home run.
On the night, Colorado earned 13 hits to score eight runs while Texas scored all five of their runs in the first inning.
The win improved the Rockies to 34-35, 4.5 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
Tomorrow, Colorado faces Texas in Game 2 of the series, at 2:05 p.m. MT.
Notes: The 0-19 slump that Nolan broke in the second inning with a double was his longest of his career. He went 0-18 back in 2013. And did he ever break out of the slump, with a double, walk and the homer.
47 road home runs for the Rockies is second-most in the MLB to Atlanta’s 50.
Desmond’s fifth inning home run finally put him over the Mendoza line (.200) at .201 on the season.
