'I like being in that company': Doyle joins elusive 20-20 club 

DENVER -- Suddenly, Brenton Doyle and his teammates have become the old-time Rockies.

Doyle launched his team-leading 20th home run of the season -- and started a seventh-inning rally with a double -- as the Rockies beat the Braves, 6-5, at Coors Field on Friday night.

The drive just right of center field off Braves starter Grant Holmes put Doyle in elite company. He reached 20 homers and 20 steals in 117 games, a feat accomplished five other times in club history -- by Hall of Famer Larry Walker in 1997, Dante Bichette in 1994 and 1996, Ellis Burks in 1996 and Carlos González in 2013.

“I like being in that company,” Doyle said.

Doyle connects to the best part of the Rockies’ past by clustering his homers. Friday’s blast was his 14th homer since June 22. And Doyle has company.

Colorado went into Friday with 76 home runs in 50 games since June 11. That figure was one behind the Braves and Mets for the lead in MLB. The Braves added three more homers, with Marcell Ozuna, Ramón Laureano and Jorge Soler going deep. But a Rockies team that wants to become a yearly contender like the Braves has found its collective swing.

The Rockies had more power potential for the first two months of the season than actual punch. The last two months, however, fuel a notion that the Rockies’ building program is beginning to show results. Michael Toglia, whose deep and high fly to right nearly became a homer, and Ezequiel Tovar each sit at 19 homers this season. Ryan McMahon has slumped recently but has 16.

From the 1990s of the Blake Street Bombers and through some powerful teams over the next few decades, the Rockies fueled several periods of success with the long ball. Struggles came when there were lulls -- like last year when the Rockies managed to finish tied for 26th in baseball despite their offense-friendly habitat.

It’s changing as young players learn to produce. Doyle debuted last year with a .203 average and 10 homers in 111 games, and Tovar and Toglia broke into the squad last year.

“It’s hard because you don’t want to force home runs on players and think that’s the only way to go,” Doyle said. “But at the same time, home runs are very contagious in the clubhouse. It’s a huge mood booster in the game.”

But winning teams also deliver the clutch non-homer.

Homers by Laureano off Justin Lawrence and Soler off Angel Chivilli in the seventh tied the game at 5. Doyle led off the seventh with a double and scored on a double from McMahon -- who had two hits after six straight hitless games.

The eighth-ninth combination of Tyler Kinley and Victor Vodnik (seven saves) was airtight.

“They had the momentum,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Doyle responded with the double off [A.J.] Minter -- two strikes, got the breaking ball, kept his hands in, kept it fair. And then Mack, you know, obviously trying to get him over, trying to get him to third base with less than two outs, drove the ball to right-center.”

“Having us young guys in the lineup on a consistent basis has helped us," Doyle said. "Me, Tovie and Mike are doing our best to contribute every way we can. The veteran guys in this clubhouse talk to us a lot. It’s helping us on the field.”