What a Story for Rockies

Rookie hits historic seven home runs in his first six games.

Rockies rookie shortstop Trevor Story capped a historic start by winning NL Player of the Week honors. Story earned the award when he became the first major league player to hit seven home runs in the first six games of his career. He entered Monday leading the majors in homers and RBIs (12), but he is trying to keep his torrid start in perspective.

“If I told you I expected to hit seven home runs, I would be lying to you,” he said. “I really can’t say that I thought it would be like this.”

The Giants Jeff Samardzija helped ground Story by fanning the rookie three times on cut fastballs. Story finished 0 for 4 and went without an RBI or hit for the first time this season.

“Story, he’s had a great start, but I’m worried about CarGo, (Gerardo) Parra, those big power lefties,” Samardzija said. “We respect him as a player and we’re going to keep pitching to him tough because he’s proven what he can do.”

Dodging traffic

Los Angeles just renamed a street outside Dodger Stadium as “Vin Scully Avenue.”Fittingly, as you exit the ballpark’s south lot, it’s a long drive to left.

Dusty on closers

Nationals manager Dusty Baker talked about the “special mentality” it takes to be a successful closer in the majors, because “as soon as you blow one, or whatever it is, people forget about the other five or six that you saved.” Thinking back to his days as San Francisco’s manager, Baker said: “I had Rod Beck that saved 50-something in a row and he scared me to death (in) about 30 of ’em. So you just learn that, ‘Hey, man, if he’s not nervous, then I’m not nervous.’ ”

Enemy territory

With the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins meeting in the NHL playoffs for the third straight season, Mets 2B Neil Walker — a Pittsburgh native acquired from the Pirates last December — has a Penguins toiletry bag hanging in his locker. “I hope there’s no hate mail to come after this,” Walker said. “I’ve already caught some heat in the early going here.”

Training room

■ Cardinals :SS Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) has improved and is wearing a splint instead of a cast, and has been rehabbing in St. Louis. He’s still likely out a few more months.

■ Cubs: INF Javier Baez (bruised left thumb) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa. Manager Joe Maddon said he will likely get 20 to 25 at-bats before being activated from the disabled list.

■ Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, had a suture knot removed from his right forearm. The minor procedure should not affect the July 1 target date for Wheeler’s return to the rotation.

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story gets off to a whopping start in his major league career, making history by slamming seven homers in his first six games, something no rookie had ever accomplished.