From ice cold to white hot.
The Colorado Rockies continued their momentum from Chicago — even through a day off — and the offense scorched Zack Wheeler starting in the first inning, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. In fact, it was the highest-scoring first inning for the Rockies all year long as they took the hot hitting and rode it to the win.
But just barely.
The Rockies put up eight total runs — one in the second, one in the sixth and seventh innings — to lead 8-2 through seven. But the Mets stormed back. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Todd Frazier smashed a two-run bomb to bring it to 8-4.
Then, in the ninth, New York kept on scoring. Wilmer Flores doubled, and Amed Rosario singled to send him home. Asdrubal Cabrera, who hit a home run earlier in the contest, hit a triple and scored Rosario, making it 8-6. Then, Frazier came through in the clutch with a single, scoring Cabrera to bring it to 8-7 Rockies, two men on, with two out.
For Colorado, Wade Davis struck out Michael Conforto for the final out of the game, with the Rockies clinging on to win 8-7.
That first inning for the Rockies was something special, as Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra hit singles, then Nolan Arenado’s single sent Blackmon home. Carlos Gonzalez then hit a sacrifice fly to score Parra, Trevor Story knocked a double to score Arenado and then, newcomer Daniel Castro singled to score Story.
While the hitting was great in that first, so was the base-running, including Arenado’s tag-up on CarGo’s sac-fly.
Simply, the Rockies did everything correctly on offense early.
Unfortunately, German Marquez gave up a single and then a home run in the first, smashed out by Cabrera to quickly bring the game to 5-2, Colorado. Marquez got back on track, striking out four batters through three innings of work.
Meanwhile, Blackmon went yard, again. The National League leader in home runs, Charlie Blackmon, crushed his 11th on the season and 10th on the road. Through three, the Rockies led 6-2.
Marquez enjoyed a solid outing overall, pitching six innings with six hits, two earned runs while he struck out eight batters. The Rockies’ relievers almost let them down, as Chris Rusin, who was called up today, allowed two runs and then Jake McGee allowed two of his own and even Davis gave up one run before earning the save.
For Colorado, that’s 19 runs scored and 26 hits in only two games, a sign they’ve finally busted out of that offensive slump which has hindered them all season long to this point.
Friday’s victory over New York was the Rockies’ third straight, and their 13th on the road this season, which is the most in the major leagues.
Tomorrow, Colorado faces New York in Game 2 of the series, with first pitch again coming at 5:10 p.m. MT.