Colorado Rockies flashback: A cold Jackie Robinson Day celebration

With the 2013 Colorado Rockies having April 15 off because of a snowstorm in Denver, Jackie Robinson Day was celebrated one day later when the Rockies and New York Mets played a chilly doubleheader at Coors Field.

While the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets pushed their Monday game back to Tuesday, it didn’t help with the weather forecast at all. The first game of a day-night doubleheader in downtown Denver started two hours late after roughly nine inches of snow had to be cleared from the field. The starting temperature for the afternoon game was 39 degrees with an 11 mph wind blowing in.

It was an all-hands-on effort to get the field cleared for Tuesday’s first game. One of the lasting memories of Rockies owner Dick Monfort among many within the Rockies media contingent (and fans as well) is him helping to shovel off the playing surface to get the field ready for play. Dinger helped as well, and so did Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd and Mets general manager Sandy Alderson.

There was an extra effort to get the game played as the Mets had been snowed out in Minneapolis against the Twins on Sunday prior to having their Monday game with the Rockies postponed. Additionally, this was the only scheduled visit for the Mets to the Mile High City.

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Once the game finally got underway, things went Colorado’s way in both the day and night games as the Rockies swept the doubleheader.

In the day game, Eric Young Jr. went 3-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs to push the Rockies to an 8-4 victory. That evening, the Rockies prevailed 9-8 in 10 innings, staging a two-out rally. Carlos Gonzalez drew a two-out walk against Mets reliever Greg Burke, then Michael Cuddyer moved him to third with a single. Jordan Pacheco then played the role of the hero, sending a two-out single to right and plating CarGo for the winning run.

CarGo would tell reporters after the game, while trying to warm up in the Rockies clubhouse, that it was “the worst, best day ever.”