The Rockies’ historical past of three homer video games

Hunter Goodman has been one of many extra pleasant developments for the Colorado Rockies over the past two seasons. The energy has been unreal as he has emerged as not simply among the finest sluggers in franchise historical past, but additionally among the finest sluggers in all of baseball.

This season has seen Goodman take his sport to new heights as he chases down Johnny Bench’s single-season dwelling run document for a National League catcher (45), in addition to a possible shot at changing into the primary Rockie with 50 dwelling runs in a season. Last Sunday, Goodman based a model new membership for the Rockies as he turned the primary participant to hit three dwelling runs in a sport a number of occasions in a single season, having completed it the primary time a number of weeks in the past in Minnesota.

Over the course of franchise historical past, the Rockies have had a participant hit three dwelling runs in a sport 22 occasions, with 17 complete gamers carrying out the feat. With all of this recent on the thoughts, let’s make a journey down reminiscence lane to recollect these unbelievable performances.

It wasn’t till the Rockies’ third season of existence {that a} participant hit three dwelling runs in a sport, and it’s solely proper that it was the Big Cat himself, Andres Galarraga.

Facing the San Diego Padres on the highway on June 25, 1995, the sport was comparatively low-scoring, because the Rockies held a 2-1 lead heading into the sixth inning. After being walked in his first two at-bats, Galarraga unloaded on a 3-2 providing from Scott Sanders for his first dwelling run of the day to drive in two. In the seventh inning, he greeted a 1-1 pitch from Willie Blair with one other blast to left area for his second homer, a two-run shot. Then, dealing with Fernando Valenzuela within the eighth inning, Galarraga launched his third dwelling run of the day down the left-field line for 3 runs, his twelfth general on the season.

The Rockies ended up profitable the sport 11-3 with Galarraga going 3-for-3 with seven RBI.

Larry Walker (1997, 1999, 2004)

Larry Walker, the one participant in franchise historical past to hit three dwelling runs in a sport 3 times, had prodigious energy that contributed to his enshrinement within the Hall of Fame.

His first time got here on April 5, 1997, on the highway in opposition to the Montreal Expos. Facing his former workforce with a 6-0 lead, the longer term MVP launched a fourth-inning solo dwelling run off Anthony Telford. Two innings later, Walker despatched a 1-2 pitch from Omar Daal to proper area for an additional solo dwelling run. Then, future Rockie Dave Veres surrendered one other solo dwelling run to Walker within the seventh inning because the Rockies went on to win 15-3 and he went 4-for-5 with 5 RBI.

The subsequent occasion for Walker got here on April 28, 1999, at Busch Stadium II. He kicked issues off with a three-run homer within the first inning, adopted by one other one within the second inning, each off future Rockie José Jiménez. Walker proved to be the difference-maker in an in depth sport within the seventh inning when he delivered a two-run dwelling run off Scott Radinsky to present the Rockies an eventual 9-7 win as he went 4-for-5 with eight RBI.

Before he was traded to St. Louis 5 years later, Walker nonetheless had loads of highlights with the Rockies, certainly one of which got here on June 25, 2004. Facing the Cleveland Indians on the highway, Walker belted a few solo dwelling runs off beginning pitcher Jason Davis within the second and sixth innings. The sport went into additional innings tied 8-8, and Walker broke the tie with a two-run dwelling run within the high of the tenth in opposition to his now-former teammate José Jiménez.

Walker went 4-for-4 with 5 RBI because the Rockies received 10-8.

Perhaps a forgotten Rockie by most, Mike Lansing had a stable first season in Colorado in 1998.

While he’s greatest recognized for his historic four-inning cycle in 2000, Lansing turned simply the third Rockie to hit three dwelling runs in a sport, and the primary to take action at Coors Field. Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 22, 1998, Lansing collected his first two dwelling runs in opposition to beginning pitcher Omar Daal, together with a two-run shot within the sixth inning. His third homer got here as a solo shot within the eighth inning in opposition to Aaron Small.

Despite Lansing going 3-for-4 with 4 RBI, the Rockies performed from behind the entire sport and misplaced 8-6.

There are loads of thrilling Rockies moments for the legend Vinny Castilla, and his three-home-run efficiency got here on June 5, 1999, at dwelling in opposition to the Milwaukee Brewers. Leading off the second inning in opposition to Hideo Nomo, Castilla hit a two-run shot the other approach. Castilla delivered one other opposite-field dwelling run within the seventh, a solo shot, off Rafael Roque to get the Rockies again inside three runs. In the subsequent inning, with the rating tied 11-11, Castilla turned on a pitch from Eric Plunk to place the Rockies up 12-11 as they held on for the win within the ninth. Castilla went 4-for-5 with 5 RBI.

The early 2000s have been legendary for Todd Helton because the Hall of Famer showcased the harm he may do on the plate.

On May 1, 2000, at Coors Field, Helton put the harm on the Expos in an eventual 15-8 Rockies victory. In the third and fifth innings, Helton launched a pair of two-run dwelling runs in opposition to Dustin Hermanson, the second of which gave the Rockies an 8-7 lead. Then, up by seven within the seventh, Helton despatched an Anthony Telford providing to deep proper area to cap off the scoring for Colorado. He ended up going 4-for-5 with 5 RBI.

The subsequent occasion got here on May 29, 2003, in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Facing beginning pitcher Odalis Pérez, Helton hit a two-run homer within the first inning, adopted by a solo shot within the third. With the Rockies up 10-5 within the eighth inning, Helton added one other two-run homer off Éric Gagné to gas the Rockies’ 12-5 victory as he went 4-for-5 with six RBI.

In one other traditional Coors Field slug fest, the Rockies would want each little bit of manufacturing from the offense, and Jeff Cirillo delivered the products on June 28, 2000. Facing the San Francisco Giants, Cirillo’s first two dwelling runs got here in opposition to future Rockie Liván Hernández, a two-run shot within the third and a solo shot within the fifth. The Rockies finally tied the sport 12-12 when Cirillo stepped as much as the plate within the eighth in opposition to John Johnstone, and he promptly hit a go-ahead solo dwelling run.

The Rockies went on to win 17-13 with Cirillo going 4-for-5 with six RBI and being named an All-Star not lengthy after.

Todd Hollandsworth (2001)

Mostly a fourth outfielder kind throughout a largely profitable three-season stint in Colorado, when on the sector, Todd Hollandsworth delivered a memorable efficiency on April 15, 2001, regardless of solely taking part in 33 video games that season. Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field, Hollandsworth collected his first dwelling run within the backside of the sixth inning, a two-run shot off Curt Schilling. In the eighth inning, with the sport tied 5-5, Hollandsworth put the Rockies forward with a two-run shot off Greg Swindell. The Diamondbacks tied it up 7-7 and the sport went to the underside of the tenth, the place Hollandsworth delivered a three-run, walk-off homer in opposition to Matt Mantei to win 10-7. He went 3-for-7 with seven RBI.

How many guesses would it not take you to land on José Ortiz as one of many Rockies to hit three dwelling runs in a sport?

After becoming a member of the membership through commerce on the finish of July, Ortiz hit three of his 14 profession dwelling runs (all with Colorado) in a single sport on August 10, 2001. Facing the Florida Marlins at Coors Field, Ortiz launched a two-run dwelling run off Ryan Dempster within the fifth inning. Ortiz then added a solo shot in opposition to Vladimir Núñez within the sixth to increase the result in 10-5. His third dwelling run got here within the eighth inning when he despatched a 3-1 pitch from Ricky Bones to left area for a solo dwelling run. The Rockies received 12-5, and Ortiz went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI.

After Walker’s 2004 efficiency, the Rockies wouldn’t see one other three-homer sport till Jason Giambi turned a one-man wrecking crew on the highway in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies on May 11, 2011. I coated this sport extensively in a 2021 article, which you’ll take a look at. In his first at-bat in opposition to future Rockie Kyle Kendrick, Giambi blasted a three-run dwelling run to get the Rockies on the board. His second time up in opposition to Kendrick, Giambi blasted a two-run dwelling run to place the Rockies up 5-0. In the fifth inning, he hit one other two-run homer, this time in opposition to Danys Báez, to place the Rockies up even additional.

He went 3-for-5 on the night time with seven RBI because the Rockies received 7-1.

Carlos González (2012, 2013)

There didn’t appear to be something Carlos González couldn’t do when he stepped as much as the plate within the 2010s. On May 30, 2012, CarGo delivered one of many extra memorable moments in an in any other case abysmal season. Facing the Houston Astros at Coors Field, CarGo kicked issues off with a go-ahead solo dwelling run within the fifth inning in opposition to Lucas Harrell. He got here as much as the plate within the sixth in opposition to Xavier Cedeño and blasted a two-run shot to place the Rockies up 12-6. He capped off the night time with a solo dwelling run in opposition to David Carpenter within the eighth to cap the scoring and provides the Rockies a 13-5 victory.

CarGo went 4-for-5 with 4 RBI. And only for enjoyable, he homered in his first at-bat the very subsequent sport.

The following season, CarGo launched three dwelling runs in Cincinnati on June 5, 2013. Pedro Villarreal was the first sufferer of CarGo that night time as he surrendered a solo dwelling run within the first inning and a three-run shot within the fourth inning that put the Rockies forward. Manny Parra then coughed up a two-run homer to CarGo within the eighth inning because the Rockies went on to win 12-4 with CarGo going 3-for-5 with six RBI.

Five years after Giambi, Charlie Blackmon would invoke his spirit by placing up a three-homer sport in opposition to the Phillies on August 12, 2016. Blackmon’s first dwelling run got here within the third inning as he hit a solo shot off Jake Thompson. He later hit his second solo shot within the seventh inning off Edubray Ramos. Still trailing within the ninth, Blackmon hit a 3rd solo dwelling run, this time in opposition to David Hernandez. The Rockies misplaced 10-6, however Blackmon went 3-for-4 with three RBI because the leadoff hitter.

During the peak of Nolan Arenado’s Rockies tenure, he delivered loads of jaw-dropping performances.

On July 19, 2017, Arenado displayed certainly one of his best offensive video games at Coors Field in opposition to the San Diego Padres. The Rockies pounded the Friars 18-4 with Arenado going 5-for-6 with seven RBI. His first dwelling run was a solo shot within the fourth inning in opposition to Clayton Richard. His different two got here in opposition to Kevin Quackenbush as he belted one other solo shot within the fifth, adopted by a three-run blast within the sixth inning.

Arenado turned the primary participant in franchise historical past to have 5 hits and three homers in a single sport.

Trevor Story had his justifiable share of unbelievable dwelling run feats in Colorado, however the place have been you when he delivered three mammoth dwelling runs in a sport at Coors Field on September 5, 2018? The oddity of this sport was that Story hit all three homers in opposition to Giants starter Andrew Suárez, and all of them have been solo pictures. He went 3-for-4 with three RBI as he hit a house run within the first, fourth, and sixth innings. The Rockies finally received the sport 5-3. At the time, Story hit a towering blast to left area that landed on the concourse that was initially measured at 505 toes. Somehow MLB finally determined that was inaccurate and dropped it right down to 487 toes.

It was all the time a pleasure to see Ryan McMahon faucet into his energy, and he supplied an early spotlight for the membership within the wake of the Arenado commerce that occurred the season began. Facing the Diamondbacks on April 6, 2021, McMahon greeted Luke Weaver with a solo dwelling run to steer off the second inning. When he confronted Weaver once more within the fourth, McMahon launched a ball to left-center for an additional solo shot. He then hit one other solo dwelling run within the seventh, this time in opposition to Alex Young.

The sport finally went 13 innings with the Rockies dropping 10-8, however McMahon went 4-for-6 with 4 RBI.

There was by no means a lot energy for second baseman Brendan Rodgers. Between the myriad of accidents and lack of manufacturing on the plate, it was a shock when he hit three homers on June 1, 2022. Facing the Miami Marlins within the second sport of a doubleheader, Rodgers kicked off his day with a solo dwelling run in opposition to Trevor Rogers within the second inning. He then hit a solo homer off Louis Head within the fifth inning to get the Rockies inside a run. The sport finally went to the tenth with the Rockies down 12-11 and Rodgers main off. On a 3-2 pitch from Cole Sulser, he despatched the ball to left area for a walk-off dwelling run and a 13-12 victory. Rodgers went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI.

The last participant to hit three dwelling runs in a sport earlier than Goodman was Michael Toglia on July 14, 2024. Facing the New York Mets on the highway, Toglia hit solo dwelling runs from the fitting facet in opposition to Jose Quintana within the fifth and sixth innings. In the eighth inning, the switch-hitting first baseman flipped over to the left facet in opposition to Adrian Houser and blasted a 3rd solo shot to left-center. The Rockies received the sport 8-5 with Toglia going 3-for-4 with three RBI.

The historical past of three-homer video games for the franchise is attention-grabbing.

There are loads of names you’d anticipate to see, however a number of that appear to have come out of nowhere. It’s additionally attention-grabbing to see what number of have understandably come at Coors Field but additionally the unbelievable performances which have occurred on the highway as nicely. I eagerly wait to see the subsequent time a Rockie accomplishes the feat.