Colorado takes Game 1 of slugfest

Batten down the hatches, take the kids to the cellar and make sure the humidor is plugged in. The Padres and Rockies are playing this weekend at Coors Field. That can only mean a plethora of runs, mile-high homers in bunches and shaky pitching.

The storm began Friday night with 10-8 Rockies victory in a game featuring 23 hits and five home runs.

Fortunately for the Rockies, four of the homers were theirs and they got a 3-for-5 performance from Garrett Hampson.

Plus, young relievers Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz, who will play a big role in next year’s bullpen, blanked the Padres for the final two innings. Diaz gave up an infield hit to Wil Myers in the ninth but got a double play and then struck out Luis Urias looking to record his fourth save.

The last time the two clubs met at Coors Field, June 13-16, they combined for 92 total runs, the most in a four-game series in the modern era (since 1900).

Nolan Arenado began the scoring for Colorado with a two-run homer in the first inning off Joey Lucchesi. It was Arenado’s 40th blast of the season, making him the second player in club history to hit 40 homers in three seasons. Vinny Castilla did it 1996-98. The only four third baseman in bigleague history with three 40home runs seasons are Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews and Mike Schmidt, and Castilla and Arenado.

Colorado also got two home runs from Trevor Story, a two-run shot to right in the fourth and a 436-foot solo homer to center in the sixth. Story has 32 home runs, five behind the career-high 37 he launched last season.

Hampson mashed his first-ever Coors Field home run in the fourth inning, a 436-foot monster to center for his fourth homer overall this season. He also made a leaping catch in center field in the second to rob Greg Garcia of extra bases.

The Rockies were in complete command until the Padres’ fiverun sixth inning, featuring a bases-loaded, two-run single from pinch-hitter Ty France off reliever Wes Parsons.

Colorado starter Jeff Hoffman’s performance was a curious mix of solid pitches, wildness and good fortune. Over 5L innings, he gave up four runs on four hits, walked six (one intentional), hit a batter and whiffed four. He also served up a two-run homer to Austin Hedges in the second.

Hoffman averted trouble in the first, thanks to third baseman Nolan Arenado. Hoffman walked two but Arenado snared Eric Hosmer’s scorching line drive and turned it into a double play to end the inning.