Tovar continues hot streak in rookie campaign

ATLANTA -- Rockies rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is smashing balls with increasing regularity. The latest example was his 424-foot home run to center field in the fourth inning in Thursday night’s 8-3 loss to the Braves.

As nicely as Tovar’s hitting and defense are going, results like in the opener of this four-game series occur on the regular -- eight times in the past 11 games.

But the Rockies believe there will be a time when winning becomes consistent. The way Tovar, 21, is handling the fluctuating personal and team fortunes is a key reason.

Tovar began the year hitting .172 through his first 19 games. Thursday night’s 2-for-4 performance -- when he bested impressive Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver for his sixth homer of the year and added an RBI single off him in the fifth -- brought Tovar to a .280/.310/.480 slash line in his past 48 contests.

Tovar’s personal performance is worth celebrating more often than not. His team? Well, in games Tovar has played during his hot streak that began April 23, Colorado is 22-26 -- much better than the awful beginning of the season but still below water.

Instead of basking in his stats or wallowing in the team’s less-than-scintillating record, Tovar speaks with a wisdom not often associated with a 21-year-old. His words could easily come from manager Bud Black, general manager Bill Schmidt or anyone with the club who believes the current fortunes (29-42) are part of the path.

“The goal is to win, but it’s a process, so we want to maintain that process,” Tovar said in Spanish, with bullpen catcher Aaron Muñoz interpreting. “We understand that it’s going to take a little bit to continue to grow together.

“We understand that even when we lose, there’s something to learn from it. You want to win and get that applause and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, you’re going to grow and continue to do it.”

Tovar is an example of turning a struggle period into a foundation, with more to go. Overall, Tovar is hitting .251 with a .703 OPS. But he is trending so well that -- with the lineup missing experienced players Brendan Rodgers, Kris Bryant and C.J. Cron -- Black has been using Tovar in the No. 2 spot in the batting order.

“I’m very pleased,” Black said. “He’s up over .250 and showing some power. We talk about the chase rate. That’s lessening. He’s playing really well. He’s having a good first half to his first full season in the big leagues.

“It’s just a matter of our roster right now -- we have some guys banged up. That’s the biggest thing that necessitated him going to the top, and he’s hitting well. Those two things combined. So far, he's showing the ability to hit there. His on-base percentage is increasing.”

It stems from Tovar's philosophy of taking any situation and extracting good from it.

During the unsure beginning of the season, Tovar could not lay off outside pitches -- but when he connected, he drove doubles the opposite way. With incrementally more discipline, he’s pulling balls with thump. His spray chart is showing extra-base hits all over.

“If it’s a good pitch to swing at -- whether it’s away, in, doesn’t matter -- I want to put a good swing on it,” Tovar said. “I don’t necessarily think I’m trying to pull it or go the other way. I’m just trying to get a good pitch and do what I can.”

Tovar seems comfortable enough being a beacon that he doesn’t shine beyond his welcome. The balance can be tough when the team has a solid number of more-experienced players -- some who may depart before the Trade Deadline to open spots for more youth.

Tovar, who is Venezuelan, was brought to an academy in the Dominican Republic to make sure scouts could see him. When he first came to the U.S., he had to begin at Class A Short-Season Boise -- with and against players out of college -- until he turned 18, because Colorado state law prohibited him from playing at Grand Junction (working at night).

Through this, Tovar became a leader among his teammates -- some of whom have dotted the current lineup. Yet, he remains a student, leaning on more-experienced players to reduce his learning curve.

“You want to establish that team chemistry right off the bat, and you’ve got to give credit to everyone here,” Tovar said. “I love the part that we’re all trying to work together and trying to achieve that. It’s frustrating, but I know all the guys have a good heart.”