Blackmon's hustle symbolizes Rox effort in W

September 23rd, 2021
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DENVER -- Charlie Blackmon’s seventh-inning shoulder block -- which paved the way for a four-run inning that included Sam Hilliard’s three-run homer Wednesday night -- symbolized the Rockies are not just going to lay there like a speed bump while the Dodgers chase the Giants for the National League West title.

The Rockies’ 10-5 victory at Coors Field erased the Dodgers’ possibility to catch the Giants on Wednesday.

The Rockies held a 6-5 lead in the seventh when Blackmon hit a roller toward first that Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia scooped up before making the mistake of entering the basepath. Blackmon sent him flying and dislodged the ball. Blackmon scored on C.J. Cron’s double, and three batters later Hilliard added the homer for a 10-5 lead.

“That’s a baseball play, right?” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Guys sort of converging, two guys trying to get to the place or trying to make a play. It’s different when maybe the pitcher has the ball standing in the baseline and the runner is four or five feet away.”

The fourth-place Rockies pushed the Dodgers to 10 innings before falling, 5-4, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, using homers by Brendan Rodgers and Hilliard and a strong bullpen effort (Robert Stephenson, Jordan Sheffield, Tyler Kinley, Daniel Bard and Lucas Gilbreath gave up one hit in five innings), the Rockies sent the message that the Dodgers needn’t be scoreboard-watching in Denver.

In fact, the Dodgers should have been watching out for Blackmon -- and not just because he is a big man who doesn’t like to be impeded.

With the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth inning, Justin Turner lined to Blackmon in right to drive in a run to tie the game at 5. But Blackmon feigned a lazy throw into the infield, then fired to shortstop Trevor Story covering second to catch Trea Turner wandering off the base.

“[Trea] Turner is always trying to get to the next base,” Story said. “We’ve tried that play many times. Me and Chuck are on the same page when it comes to that. I could feel Tuner take a pretty aggressive run toward third. When Chuck threw it I thought we’d have a really good chance.”

The Rockies fashioned their first winning road trip (7-2) before meeting the Dodgers at Coors. After Thursday’s series finale, the Rockies will try to be every bit the spoiler when they face the Giants for three weekend games -- during their jersey celebration for Hall of Famer Larry Walker.

In addition to the power and the bullpen work, the Rockies won Wednesday in much the way the Giants and Dodgers have put together the Majors’ best records -- by being an offense hard for even good pitchers to handle.

The starters were All-Stars Germán Márquez for the Rockies and Walker Buehler for the Dodgers. Buehler lasted just 3 2/3 innings, with Márquez’s two-run double chasing him.

The Dodgers’ star-studded lineup is expected to deliver staunch situational hitting and force teams into their bullpens. And lately, the Rockies are developing that trait. The Rockies had big fourth and seventh innings, and sent seven to the plate in the fifth (they scored once and left the bases loaded). Blackmon, Cron, Story and, yes, Márquez had the opposite-way, go-with-the-pitch hits that are staples of good offensive play.

“You always have a chance when you hit the ball -- that’s part of what we’re talking about internally,” Black said. “You’ve got to fight, foul the ball off, put the ball in play, and good things will happen. It’s been much better in the second half.”

It helps with players like Blackmon -- who was hit twice, before and after his hard physical contact to set up the big inning -- setting a refuse-to-lose example.

“He’s probably the most professional guy I’ve ever been around and it’s been that way since we became teammates in ‘16,” Story said. “A lot of young guys are learning from Chuck. You can’t give away outs here in the big leagues. That’s the way he plays.”

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Senior Reporter Thomas Harding has covered the Rockies since 2000, and for MLB.com since 2002.