Story's glove, Rox bats combine for win
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DENVER -- It sounds quaint, the idea that a shortstop can flip the momentum with a defensive play alone. Well, Trevor Story influenced the Rockies’ 7-3 victory over the Padres the old-fashioned way on Tuesday night.
Story’s leaping catch of a Trent Grisham liner with a runner at third ended the seventh with the Rockies up a run. In the bottom of the frame, Charlie Blackmon’s two-run homer (after Story’s leadoff walk) and C.J. Cron’s seventh August homer -- and 21st overall -- immediately thereafter, both off Tim Hill, brought the win.
“It was nice to contribute there,” said Story, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout, but drew an important walk. “I felt like I let some big at-bats get away tonight.”
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But here’s the setup of Story’s play:
Rockies starter Germán Márquez -- battling a stomach bug -- held the Padres to one hit through six innings, and had two hits and two RBIs, to boot. Then he gave up home runs to three of the first four batters of the seventh -- Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth (an inside-the-park job) and Tommy Pham -- before Jhoulys Chacín replaced him.
Grisham’s looping liner was ticketed to center field. According to Statcast, the expected batting average on the play was .690. Story dashed the Padres’ aspirations.
“I felt like I had a good bead on it off the bat,” Story said. “I was just trying to make a play for my guys who were throwing a great game.”
Story has struggled at times this year, and battled a right elbow injury -- the extent of which is debated even though he returned from the 11-game absence back in May. He sits at .256. But even the least offensive of shortstops can turn a game.
“That’s why I love it,” Story said.
A little bit of everything -- pitching, hitting and, yes, defense -- helps a team go 40-21 at its home park.
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“Great play by ‘Trev’ -- great job,” said manager Bud Black, whose team is 6-2 at Coors against the Padres, who lead the Reds by 1 1/2 games for the second National League Wild Card. “Great route. He showed his athleticism and talent with the jumping ability to snare it.”
Márquez, feeling a little better postgame, said he stuck around in the dugout after he left the game, and was able to celebrate Story’s play.
“It was the key to the game -- that play was amazing,” Márquez said.