Arenado caps cycle with walk-off blast
Three-run homer throttles Giants
DENVER — With one dramatic swing, Nolan Arenado gave the Colorado Rockies a thrilling victory and finished off his rare feat at the plate.
Arenado completed the cycle with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Rockies stunned the San Francisco Giants by rallying for a 7-5 win Sunday.
Arenado hit the first pitch he saw from All-star closer Mark Melancon (1-2) into the left-field seats to cap a fourgame sweep. The slugger was mobbed at home plate by teammates, with a frenzied sellout crowd chanting “MVP! MVP!”
“It’s probably one of the best moments in my career,” Arenado said. “I’ve hit some big homers but by far the best, obviously, for the cycle.
“I’ve never done it. I feel like I’ve been kind of close, but I’ve always needed a triple, and I ain’t getting that. Today is a great day.”
Arenado became the 31st player in major league history to complete the cycle by hitting a game-ending home run. The last to accomplish it was teammate Carlos Gonzalez, who did it on July 31, 2010, against the Chicago Cubs.
With the National League’s best record, the surprising Rockies (46-26) have won five straight overall and nine in a row against the Giants. They are 20 games above .500 for the first time since 2009.
“The fans and the people of Denver are starting to get a hint that we’re for real,” Arenado said.
Colorado led 3-2 in the top of the ninth but gave up three runs before scoring four in the bottom half.
Pinch hitter Hunter Pence connected on a go-ahead homer for last-place San Francisco, which has dropped six consecutive games and nine of 11.
Melancon retired his first batter, but three singles produced a run and brought up Arenado, who tripled in the first, singled in the fourth and had an RBI double in the sixth.
He hit a 91-mph fastball for his 15th homer and first career cycle.
“I was ready first pitch, and I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield, really,” Arenado said. “Luckily, I got a pitch middle-in, and I was able to do some damage with it.”