May 31, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a two run home run in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field. Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies, no strangers to slugging exploits at Coors Field, reached new offensive heights Tuesday night.
While blasting the Cincinnati Reds 17-4, the Rockies set a franchise record with 14 extra-base hits, an offensive onslaught that included a franchise-record tying seven home runs, their most ever in Denver. Five of those homers came in the first three innings when the Rockies built a seven-run lead.
The Rockies also hit seven homers on April 5, 1997, at Montreal.
Nolan Arenado hit two homers and drove in four runs. Charlie Blackmon led off the game with a homer for the second straight day and belted his first career grand slam in the seventh, tying his career high with five RBIs.
DJ LeMahieu tied his career high with four hits, including a homer and two doubles, and had two RBIs. Gerardo Parra had three hits, including a homer and a double. Carlos Gonzalez had a homer, double and two RBIs. And Tony Wolters had a career-high three hits, including two doubles.
The early offensive surge made it easy for Jon Gray, who won his second straight start.
Colorado had dropped three straight, but Gray (3-2) was quickly staked to a seven-run lead as the Rockies unloaded two homers and five runs on Reds starter Jon Moscot (0-3) in the first and two more homers in the second, which was his final inning.
Gray worked six innings. After walking home a run in the third, Gray gave up homers in the sixth to Joey Votto, his ninth of the season, and Jay Bruce, his 10th, that made it 8-3.
But the Rockies wasted no time in running that advantage to 11-3 in their half of the sixth. After LeMahieu doubled home a run, Arenado hit his second homer and 14th of the season. The Rockies struck for six more runs in the seventh.
The Rockies hit five homers in the first three innings to take an 8-1 lead, making short work of Moscot, who was reinstated from the disabled list before the game.
He lasted two innings. To make matters worse, Gray hit him with a pitch near his ear in the second. Moscot stayed in the game but didn’t take the mound in the third. Daniel Wright came and on gave up a homer to Gerardo Parra, the first batter he faced. It was Parra’s fourth homer.
The Rockies batted around in the first and strafed Moscot for five runs on six hits, including three doubles and two homers. Six pitches into the game, he was in a three-run hole.
Blackmon led off with a home run, his fifth this season. It was Blackmon’s third leadoff homer of the season, second in two days, and the 15th of his career. It was the first time in franchise history the Rockies have hit a leadoff homer in consecutive games.
The Rockies continued to rough up Moscot in the second when LeMahieu hit his third homer and Gonzalez hit his 10th to make it 7-0. Gonzalez has homered in four straight games for the third time in his career and first since 2010.
Gray walked Billy Hamilton to force in a run in the third.
NOTES: Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon extended his career-high on-base streak to 26 consecutive games. … Reds RHP Jon Moscot is the first Cincinnati pitcher to allow four homers in a game since Homer Bailey on April 14, 2014, against Pittsburgh. … Reds 2B Brandon Phillips was scratched from the lineup due to a sore left ankle. He originally injured the ankle Sunday and he was forced to leave Monday’s game in the seventh inning. … Rockies SS Jose Reyes will report to Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday to begin a rehab assignment after his 51-game suspension for a domestic violence incident ended Tuesday. … Rockies RHP Adam Ottavino threw 25 pitches in his second batting practice session since he underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2015. … Rockies LHP Boone Logan (left shoulder inflammation) threw 10 pitches to a catcher in front of the plate. … Reds RHP Caleb Cotham (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Sunday. RHP Jon Moscot (left shoulder inflammation) was reinstated from the DL to start Tuesday. … Reds RHP Anthony DeSclafani (strained left oblique) allowed one run in four innings Monday in a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville.
