Kris Bryant hits first Rockies HR at Coors Field; too bad they were down 9-0

Three-hundred-and-ninety-six days and 179 games after Kris Bryant became the Colorado Rockies’ prize signee, the Rockies’ $182-million man finally hit a home run at Coors Field.

The big blast happened in the bottom of the third inning off Pittsburgh’s Rich Hill, who entered Monday night lugging an ego-sapping 7.20 ERA into the Pirates’ contest with the Rockies.

KBOOM for the first time at Coors! pic.twitter.com/s615gtctcS

— AT&T SportsNet™ | RM (@ATTSportsNetRM) April 18, 2023

Hill left a 71.8-miles-per-hour curveball fat over the plate, and Bryant sent the ball 434 feet to the left-field stands.

It narrowed the Rockies’ deficit to 9-1. Kyle Freeland’s struggles and a pair of Elehuris Montero errors dug the Rockies a 9-0 hole by the third inning.

Kris Bryant vs Rich Hill#Rockies

Home Run (2) 💣

Exit velo: 103.8 mph
Launch angle: 32 deg
Proj. distance: 434 ft

No doubt about that one 🔒
That's a dinger in all 30 MLB ballparks

PIT (9) @ COL (1)
🔻 3rd pic.twitter.com/AhruH7nKyi

— Would it dong? (@would_it_dong) April 18, 2023

It’s not his first home run at Coors Field. He hit two at 20th and Blake while playing for the Chicago Cubs. And he has 6 home runs since joining the Rockies — all coming on the road, including one at Seattle last Friday.

Monday’s game against the Pirates was Bryant’s 33rd at home since joining the Rockies. Twenty-six of the 42 games in which he played during an injury-wrecked 2022 were at home. He’s played in seven home games this season.

2,168 days between homers at Coor Field for #Rockies Kris Bryant.

— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) April 18, 2023

The Rockies’ team-wide struggles continue, of course. But at least the wait for Bryant’s first home dinger in front of Dinger is over.