Rockies’ playoff push
Marquez’s latest gem, Story’s 32nd home run and Dahl’s blast lead way
Brian Gendron, above, rocks Colorado Rockies pins on his cap as he watches the action against National League West Division rival Arizona Diamondbacks from the outfield during the second inning at Coors Field on Monday. Right: Noah Vasquez, 8, rests in the bleachers as his family watches Monday’s game. The Rockies rolled to a 132 victory.
A warm September night, nary a cloud in the sky and pennant fever in the atmosphere. It added up to a perfect storm for the Rockies on Monday at Coors Field.
They combined another dominant performance from strikeout machine German Marquez, a threerun blast by Trevor Story, a grand slam by David Dahl and 17 total hits to overwhelm Arizona 132.
The Rockies also got some help in their hunt for their first National League West title. The Reds, the NL cellardwellers, beat the Dodgers 106 at Cincinnati. Colorado leads the Dodgers by 1K games and extended its advantage to 3K games over the Diamondbacks.
Arizona lost its third consecutive game and is 38 in its last 11.
After a rocky first inning, Marquez rebounded, striking out 11 and notching his ninth consecutive quality start, the longest streak by a Rockies pitcher since Ubaldo Jimenez strung together 14 in his magical 2010 season. Marquez, just 23, gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits over seven innings.
“We kind of expect that these days,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He’s been really good. It feels likes he strikes everyone out. If he keeps doing that, we’ll be really, really good.”
Marquez is blowing batters away with his combination of a lively fastball, a sharp slider and a kneebending curveball. He struck out six
consecutive batters between the fourth and sixth innings, tying Jon Gray’s franchise record for consecutive strikeouts in a single game. Gray has done it twice — Sept. 17, 2016, vs. San Diego and June 17 of this season at Texas.
Marquez has already whiffed 195 this season and has a chance at surpassing the franchise record of 214 set by Jimenez in 2010. Marquez’s 43 K’s over four consecutive games is a franchise record, topping Pedro Astacio’s 42 in 2000.
“Obviously, with my aggressive mentality, I try to attack hitters and get ahead,” Marquez said. “When you throw strike one and then strike two, you can throw all of your pitches and that leads to a strikeout.”
The Rockies erupted for six runs in the fifth, chasing starter Zack Godley from the game. The rally began at the bottom of the order, with a leadoff double by Ian Desmond, an RBI single by Tony Wolters (three hits) and a bunt single to the left side of the mound by Marquez.
Then Godley lost control, walking Charlie Blackmon to load the base and forcing in a run by issuing a fourpitch walk to the everpatient DJ LeMahieu. That was the end for Godley and the beginning of a nightmare for reliever Silvino Bracho. He got two outs — an RBI infield chopper by Nolan Arenado and a hard lineout to second by Dahl — but met his match with Story.
The NL MVP candidate rifled Bracho’s 93.7 mph fastball over the fence in rightcenter for a threerun backbreaker. It was Story’s teamleading 32nd homer and gave him a teamhigh 99 RBIs. Story went 1for12 with six strikeouts in the weekend series vs. the Dodgers, but he came up with another huge hit Monday night. His 305 total bases lead the NL.
Dahl’s slam, the first of his career, left the yard in Colorado’s sevenrun seventh. He ripped reliever Matt Andriese’s 32 fastball 415 feet, nearly making the second deck above right field.
“Everybody came through,” Dahl said. “A lot of good atbats. A lot of hard hits. That’s what you want from top to bottom. If we continue that, we’re in good shape.”