Jackson Holliday gets RBI triple in return to Coors Field

Seventeen years ago, Jackson Holliday was playing wiffle ball in the Colorado Rockies clubhouse as a 3-year-old. Six years ago, he was a 14-year-old taking batting practice at Coors Field during the season when his father, three-time Rockies All-Star Matt Holliday, returned to conclude his major-league career.

Friday night, the 20-year-old Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft two years ago, returned to Coors Field. And he played a role in helping his team keep pace with the New York Yankees in its fight for the American League East.

Batting ninth, Jackson Holliday reached base three times, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a loud triple while also reaching base on a Michael Toglia error. Holliday’s ninth-inning triple proved crucial, as the one-out, line-drive shot off the right-field scoreboard drove in an insurance run that helped Baltimore pull out a 5-3 win over the Rockies on Friday night.

Jackson adds on. pic.twitter.com/v2Qjddwhru

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 31, 2024

Holliday himself came home one batter later from third base when Colorado reliever Angel Chivilli — who surrendered the game-deciding blast Tuesday night to complete a ninth-inning collapse — threw wide of catcher Jacob Stallings, allowing Holliday to score.

Chivilli’s error also ensured that Holliday avoided the ignominy of being thrown out at third base and home plate in the same game.

In the top of the fifth, Holliday misjudged a fly ball to center field, and instead of waiting at second base, he led off the bag. Holliday tagged up and tried to take third base.

The problem was, Brenton Doyle was in center field. The reigning Gold Glove winner dove for the ball, rolled and fired a laser to third baseman Ryan McMahon, who fielded it cleanly and applied the tag.

DOYLE RULES 🤘
DOYLE RULES 🤘
DOYLE RULES 🤘 pic.twitter.com/vebj0PD3ii

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 31, 2024

“That was a great play,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Great diving catch, and then the roll to get up and throw a strike to third — great play,”

Brendan Rodgers narrowed the Rockies’ ninth-inning gap with a 438-foot solo blast to left field, but the Rockies drew no closer as they fell to 50-86.

Austin Gomber absorbed the loss, his 10th of the season, but delivered a quality start in the process, scattering 8 hits and a walk while allowing 3 earned runs over 6 innings.

They must go .500 the rest of the season in order to avoid their second-straight 100-loss season — which would also be the second in club history.

But for Jackson Holliday, such concerns are not his problem. He ended up making a positive contribution for his team. And for proud papa Matt Holliday, who also returned to Coors Field on Friday night, that stands as reason to celebrate.