Story’s 10th homer helps Rox roll
ROCKIES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 0
phoenix» Trevor Story is quiet, almost stoic most of the time. Especially when he’s forced to talk about himself.
He prefers to let his bat do the talking. And Story’s Old Hickory model has spoken volumes during his historic first month in the majors.
The rookie shortstop crushed a two-run homer to left field off Arizona starter Robbie Ray in the fifth inning of the Rockies’ 9-0 victory Friday night. It was Story’s 10th home run in April, tying him with the Chicago White Sox’s Jose Abreu for the most by a rookie, in April, in big-league history.
But the story doesn’t end there. With his 10th home run in his 21st game, Story tied the Boston Red Sox’s George Scott (1966) as the fastest players in history to 10 home runs.
For the record, Story turned on Ray’s first-pitch, 93 mph fastball.
Story has already hit five home runs off the Diamondbacks, tying Aaron Miles for the most homers by a Rockies rookie against Arizona in a season. Miles played 18 games against Arizona in 2004, while Story has done his damage in just four games.
On most nights, the pitching performance turned in by Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood would dominate the headlines. The right-hander was outstanding for 6L innings, giving the Rockies a desperately needed quality start.
Colorado starters had been ripped to shreds on the recent homestand, posting a 9.72 ERA over six games.
Chatwood, who helped put an end to Colorado’s five-game losing streak, gave up just five hits and struck out four.
He displayed his inner-bulldog in the fourth. He walked Paul Goldschmidt and gave up a single to David Peralta to open the inning, but induced a groundball double play to second out of Yasmany Thomas. Chatwood then whiffed Welington Castillo to end the threat.
Ray had not given up a home run in his last five games, dating to last season, but the Rockies blasted four off him.
Ryan Raburn led off the fourth and sent Ray’s 90 mph, first-pitch fastball deep into the left-field seats.
It was Raburn’s fourth home run. Two batters later, Nick Hundley pulled an 85 mph changeup over the left-field wall to give Colorado a 2-0 lead.
Charlie Blackmon, back from the disabled list, his turf toe healed, led off the fifth with a single and trotted home on Story’s historic homer. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, waging his private home run derby with his infield mate, made it a back-to-back affair with a moon shot over the left-field wall. It was Arenado’s 10th homer as well, giving Colorado’s left side of the infield a combined 20 home runs.