For the first time this season, Rockies will avoid a losing homestand

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 101:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Ryan McMahon continued his torrid pace coming out of the All-Star break, blasting a three-run homer that helped power the Rockies to an 8-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in front of 30,137 at Coors Field on Tuesday night.

McMahon’s shot, a three-run blast, extended Colorado’s lead to 6-0 and put the Cardinals in chase mode for the rest of the night. It was his third home run since Friday night.

Mr. McMashin' pic.twitter.com/KtmmGIErLj

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 23, 2025

He now has a 1.450 OPS since the All-Star break and a .353/.450/1.000 line. A small sample size, obviously, but it has helped McMahon nudge his OPS back to .721. It had dipped below .700 for a fortnight earlier this month.

Last year, McMahon’s OPS was .722.

He began coming around during the final series prior to the break at Cincinnati, going 4-for-12 over a three-game weekend series after starting July in a 3-for-31 skid.

The sudden spurt is notable given the boost it could give to his trade value with the July 31 trade deadline looming.

McMahon had slid in ESPN’s trade-value rankings in recent weeks, falling from the No. 16 spot last month to 22nd in the updated list released on July 21.

Mickey Moniak started Colorado’s attack with a solo home run in the first inning, his career-high 15th of the season. He went 2-for-4, adding a second RBI on an eighth-inning, bases-loaded walk.

Backstopping starting pitcher Bradley Blalock was outstanding outfield defense in the second and third innings. In the second inning, Jordan Beck gunned down Nolan Arenado at second base when the ex-Rockies third baseman made an ill-advised attempt to take second on a line drive to left inning.

But the third frame saw the true defensive gem, a diving Brenton Doyle catch near the right-center field wall to rob St. Louis second baseman Brendan Donovan of an extra-base hit.

It ended up being an 8-to-3 double play, as Victor Scott, who started off on first base after a walk, had already rounded second base and was halfway to third by the time Doyle completed the catch.

OH MY DOYLE pic.twitter.com/mng8zy1eoi

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 23, 2025

The win ensured that the worst the Rox will do on this six-game homestand is a 3-3 split, marking the first time Colorado has not finished with a losing record in any homestand this season.

With a win on Wednesday, Colorado will claim back-to-back series for the first time since last September.

The Rox are 25-76.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Sterling defense and a pair of double plays helped, but Blalock was at his most efficient during his first time through the Redbirds’ order. He faced one batter above the minimum in the first three innings.

But in the fourth inning, the second trip through the Cardinals’ order proved more daunting. He yielded three singles and a double to Wilson Contreras, only retiring Arenado in a five-batter span. Two Cardinals scored as St. Louis pared the lead to 7-2.

Blalock got three flyball outs in the fifth inning before opening the sixth with a pair of singles, ultimately being relieved after getting Arenado to line out. But his work was still enough for his second major-league win.

“The fastball-slider combo, he got ahead. He gave us what we needed; he got into the sixth inning,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said in his postgame press conference. “He did a very nice job.”

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Moniak walked in the eighth inning, extending Colorado’s lead to 8-4.

NUMBER TO NOTE: .871 — Moniak’s OPS this year. It was .646 last season. His previous career high was .802, set in 2023.

WHAT’S NEXT: Tanner Gordon is expected to start the series finale in place of Germán Márquez, who is headed for the injured list Tuesday due to biceps-tendon inflammation. First pitch for the series and homestand finale will be at 1:10 p.m. MDT.

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