Rox split twin bill on Joe's slam, extras rally

CHICAGO -- The Rockies’ 13-10 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of Wednesday’s split doubleheader had just about everything. Among the biggest moments were Daniel Bard allowing a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh and Ryan McMahon hitting the go-ahead two-run shot in the 10th.

With all that happened throughout the extra-inning affair, Connor Joe’s midgame heroics might have gotten lost in the shuffle, but that shouldn’t diminish the role he played to help the Rockies avoid a sweep at Wrigley Field.

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“Connor gave us that big boost with the grand slam,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “He's been giving us good at-bats. I think that's sort of a continuation of what we've talked about since he's come back. He joined us, he got a little fuzzy, we sent him [down to the Minors]. Now since he's been back, he's really been swinging the bat great, having good quality at-bats, getting on base.”

In the first inning of Game 1 on Wednesday afternoon, Joe chased down a fly ball in left-center and ran right into Hilliard (while impressively hanging on to the ball). He was checked on by trainers, but remained in the game. Four innings later, Joe watched the final pitch of Austin Gomber’s outing rocket off Patrick Wisdom’s bat and fly over his head for what proved to be the game-winning, three-run home run in the 5-2 loss.

Black could’ve taken the cautious approach with Joe going into the nightcap, but he had no plans to sit one of his hottest hitters (Joe came into Wednesday with a 1.000 OPS and 23 RBIs since being recalled on July 20).

Germán Márquez had allowed five runs on six hits in the top of a second inning that appeared to have the Rockies on their way to another road loss. Elias Díaz and Garrett Hampson, though, began the fourth with back-to-back singles. Then, following consecutive strikeouts, Charlie Blackmon took one off his foot to load the bases and set the stage for Joe to play the hero.

Joe worked a 3-1 count against Trevor Megill, then got a four-seamer that ran inside but caught a bit too much of the plate. A few seconds later, Megill’s fastball landed a Statcast-projected 410 feet away. McMahon’s game-winner in the 10-inning affair might have stolen the spotlight, but Joe still provided yet another reason for Colorado fans to fully embrace him.

“He is so good,” McMahon said. “I think he's an amazing baseball player. The at-bats that he takes are extremely professional. You almost felt that one coming, right?”

“Just a lot of emotions,” Joe said when asked what was going through his mind following the home run. “‘You're down three, hit the grand slam.’ ... I was really excited, really happy.”

Leading up to the Rockies’ trip to Chicago, Joe could hardly contain his excitement. He had never played at Wrigley Field, and only a month before, he was playing with Triple-A Albuquerque.

He managed to pick up two hits in the series opener on Monday, but he hadn’t yet had his moment at the ballpark heading into Wednesday’s twin bill. With one mighty swing in the top of the fourth, though, Joe created a memory he won’t soon forget.

“He'll remember his first trip here, for sure,” McMahon said.