ST. LOUIS -- A day after returning to the Majors from Triple-A, Michael Toglia went back to Little League -- in a most delightful way.

Toglia pulled off what’s known as a Little League home run in the fourth inning of the Rockies’ 8-5 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Friday night.

“That was a Little League grand slam,” Toglia said with a smile.

The Rockies trailed the Cardinals in the fourth inning, 4-0, but loaded the bases with two outs against Cards starter Lance Lynn. Toglia, the key figure in Colorado's win the previous night, lashed a liner down the right-field line that cleared the bases.

Toglia, who runs well for a 6-foot-5 lad, made a daring dash to third and was barely on time. However, second baseman Nolan Gorman’s relay throw bounced wildly past Cards third baseman Nolan Arenado, and Toglia scored to tie the game.

“I was thinking third out of the [batter’s] box,” Toglia said. “Triples are all heart, and all they can do is benefit the team. There’s a big difference between having a runner on third with two outs and having one at second. The pitcher can’t spike the ball, and he’s worried about a passed ball, so I think it’s a big deal.”

Lynn didn’t have to worry about any of that.

The play was ruled a triple and an error on Gorman, so Toglia went the distance around the bases in the same manner as children in youth programs or on sandlots.

Teammates were impressed with how quickly it all happened.

“Everybody was commenting how fast I looked,” Toglia said. “It may have been sarcastically, but I take it as a compliment.”

Toglia’s play helped erase a deficit that lefty Austin Gomber pitched Colorado into as he had less-than-sharp location and poor fortune while giving up four runs on six hits and a walk in the first two innings. Gomber -- who struggled in his last start, at Dodger Stadium, after getting extra time to allow his elbow to freshen up -- retired the last 10 batters he faced to get through the fifth. The finish was shades of Gomber’s May, when he posted a 0.68 ERA -- lowest for a Rockies starter in any month in franchise history (minimum four starts).

“After a little shorter start last time out coming off an extended break, I just felt physically really good, so I felt I was maybe trying to do a little too much early,” Gomber said. “But after the second, I was able to get into a little bit of a rhythm.”

With the game tied in the eighth, Toglia at least put righty reliever Matt Carasiti in position to escape a jam. Toglia switched from right field to left for the inning, and with two on base, made a diving catch of a Matt Carpenter line drive. However, Carasiti gave up three runs on three hits and a walk before leaving the game with a blister.

Still, it’s two solid games for Toglia since being sent down to Triple-A Albuquerque with a .106 batting average.

“That was a good swing after he had the chance in the second, bases loaded, and punched [out],” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “But he came back in an identical situation and got the big hit, then made a nice play in left.”

The goal is to keep making plays that work fine at any level, little or big.

“It’s definitely nice to get a couple hits under your belt, especially after that first stint,” Toglia said. “But yesterday was Day One, today was Day Two.”