Rockies keep rolling to fifth win in six games

DENVER — For the Colorado Rockies, it’s baby steps now to what they hope will be something big later.

It’s piecing together a bullpen, which has been one of the most reliable in MLB this month after leaning on its youngest arms. It’s getting more quality starts from their rotation. It’s the continued consistent power stroke demonstrated by young players such as Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman, both of whom had home runs in Colorado’s 8-2 win over Arizona.

Tovar now has a team-pacing 25 for the season after hitting his second home run so far in this series with the Diamondbacks. Goodman, working as the designated hitter Tuesday night, still has a .192 average, blasted his fourth home run during the homestand, crushing a 441-foot shot to center field in the seventh inning.

A home run a day keeps the doctor away… pic.twitter.com/SfpmTjaAIY

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 18, 2024

Brenton Doyle went 0-for-3 with a walk, but contributed his usual defensive brilliance, robbing Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez at the center-field wall to open the seventh inning. Right-hander Ryan Feltner retired one more batter before giving way to reliever Luis Peralta after a strong 6 2/3-inning start.

Catcher Jacob Stallings started the scoring in the second inning with a chopper over 3B that skipped down the line, scoring Michael Toglia from second base. Right fielder Jordan Beck drove Stallings home with a double to left field two batters later, extending the lead as part of a 2-for-4 night.

All this came in the midst of first-round pick Charlie Condon spending the series at Coors Field. The Rockies saluted him on the scoreboard to the 20,421 on hand, eliciting an ovation from the sparse but spirited crowd.

Condon’s journey is just getting under way, and his .180/.248/.270 line at high-A Spokane in the Northwest League shows that he has a long way to go.

Tuesday’s win also saw manager Bud Black become the winningest manager in Rockies history. He notched his 535th win guiding the Rockies, moving past Clint Hurdle.

But check back in a year. Because as the Rockies have seen with standouts like Tovar and Doyle, one year can make all the difference in providing a glimpse of better days on the horizon. And with the flashes shown since June of players like Toglia, Beck and Goodman, the Rockies seem to be quietly piecing together a core.

These young Rockies must go 4-6 the rest of the way to avoid 100 losses. That would be the first small step to what the club hopes will be massive rewards in the years to come.