Colorado Rockies morning after: Trevor Story honing speed side of game

PITTSBURGH — Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies showed off his power and speed on Monday night in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Story is well known for his home run swing, and he showed it again with a three-run homer that capped off a fourth-inning outburst against Pirates starter Steven Brault. After going down 2-0, Story was patient to work the count to 2-2 before blasting Brault’s offering over the left-field wall.

That will be on the highlight reel for most shows talking about tonight’s Colorado win. What may not show up is what Story did in ninth inning. But what happened in the final frame is an intriguing possibility for just how the 25-year-old shortstop can make a difference in the Colorado lineup.

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With one out in the ninth, Story beat out an infield single, giving the Rockies their first run of the inning. Sure, the game was practically decided at that point and Story was quickly erased by Pat Valaika’s force out on a grounder to first. But it’s how Story got there that makes for a salivating possibility.

Story has always been known for his power more than his speed … yet he has the capability to be a force on the basepaths for the Rockies. Earlier in the month, Story was clocked at one of his highest speeds of his career running to first, a level that puts him in the “elite” category according to those who track speed statistics. That elite-level speed was on display again in the ninth inning as he beat out the throw to first.

Big deal you say to a play in the ninth inning of a game where the Rockies had a solid lead? Well, the speed is something that Story told me after the game he had been working to improve in the offseason.

“You go into every offseason trying to improve on something. I wanted to get faster so I worked on it back home,” Story told me about his speed after Monday night’s win. “We made it one of our goals to be quicker and faster.”

That work can now pay dividends for the Rockies. Story leads the team with three stolen bases. Not a high number, but one Story believes can grow and impact the outcome of games.

“I feel like I need to use it more for sure,” Story said. “I can affect the game in that way and it can help us win.”

Next: How much are the Rockies really worth?

Story is apparently getting faster. If he can once again find his home run swing, it’s a potentially lethal combination for Colorado.

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PITTSBURGH — Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies showed off his power and speed on Monday night in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

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