Hampson, Rodgers lift Rox over Nats
Win concludes 5-1 homestand
DENVER — Sneaky-pull pop, a power surge and the safety net of key double plays provided the Rockies with a 9-7 victory over Washington on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field.
The Rockies took two of three games from the Nationals, finishing their homestand 5-1 and improving to 15-10.
“Sneaky-pull pop” is manager Bud Black’s phrase for home runs that come from unexpected players. In this case, it was Garrett Hampson, who drove a three-run homer into the left-field bleachers in the second inning to give the
Rockies a 4-2 lead.
“A team can’t just rely on a couple of guys as you go through a year,” Black said. “It just picks the team up when guys at the bottom of the order, or guys get a start, do something big, like ‘Hampy.’ ”
Hampson, who got the start at shortstop, entered the game hitting .111 and with limited playing time because of a trip to the injured list with a bruised right hand. He had just 12 big-league plate appearances and 10 rehab at-bats at Triple-a Albuquerque when he came to the plate. But Hampson ripped the first pitch he saw from right-hander Aaron Sanchez 387 feet.
“Everybody wants to play every day,” Hampson said. “But I’m going to take the same approach every day, regardless, even when
I’m not in the starting lineup. If I’m coming off the bench, or whatever it is, I’m going to be ready to go.”
Power was also supplied by Brendan Rodgers, who’s broken out of his April slump in a big way. The second baseman had multiple hits in three of his last four games (7-for-16) after hitting .078 (4-for51) through his first 14 games of the season.
Rodgers hit an RBI double to right field in the second and then launched a three-run homer off lefty Josh Rogers in Colorado’s four-run fifth. Rodgers’ first homer of the season traveled 438 feet into the left-field seats.
“I try not to put those negative thoughts in my head,” Rodgers said when asked about putting the
slump in the rearview mirror. “I know I’m strong. I know I can hit the ball to all fields. I’ve just got to stay within myself and not try to do too much.”
Said Black: “Brendan is beginning to look a little more comfortable and confident in the box. I see it coming slowly. But when he gets going, heads up, because he can hit.”
Washington cut Colorado’s lead to 8-6 with a tworun seventh off of reliever Robert Stephenson, but Randal Grichuk responded with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame to provide the Rockies with a comfort zone.
Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela was not as crisp and efficient as he’s been most of the season. In 4L innings, the Nationals tagged the right-hander for three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He needed 86 pitches to get through his afternoon.
“He battled, as always,”
Black said. “Maybe not his best fastball, but his curve came into play today, which I liked. And the slider came into play. But he just wasn’t as sharp today as he normally is.”
Senzatela walked two, which is not a big deal, but it marked the first time in his last 14 starts at Coors Field that he walked more than one batter.
The dangerous Juan Soto blasted a one-out homer in the first inning off Senzatela, who then walked Josh Bell. A wild throw by third baseman Ryan Mcmahon on Maikel Franco’s grounder allowed Bell to score all of the way from first base.
Senzatela walked the highwire in the fifth. He allowed three hits, including an RBI double by Bell, and also gave up a walk.
Senzatela was rescued when catcher Dom Nunez picked off Soto at third base with a snap throw, and then reliever Jhoulys Chacin came on and got Franco to ground into a rally-killing double play.
Stephenson also got a double play in the seventh, minimizing the damage. In 25 games, the Rockies have already turned 40 double plays (36 of them via groundballs), the most in the majors.
The Nats didn’t lose quietly. In the eighth, a leadoff double by Victor Robles and an RBI double by Soto off Alex Colome cut Colorado’s lead to 9-7.
Maikel Franco managed a one-out single off of closer Daniel Bard in the ninth, but Bard shut the door for his eighth save.
The Rockies, 4-5 on the road, open a three-game series at Arizona on Friday night.