Colorado Rockies flashback: Making history at Wrigley Field
While many may celebrate May 5 as Cinco de Mayo, Colorado Rockies fans have another reason to raise a glass on this day.
On May 5, 1999, at Wrigley Field, the Colorado Rockies scored in all nine innings of a 13-6 win over the Chicago Cubs. It marked just the third time in the 1900s that a team had scored in all nine innings. Previously, the New York Giants had scored in all nine innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 1, 1923, and the St. Louis Cardinals had notched the feat in a 15-2 win over the Cubs on September 13, 1964.
Also, Colorado’s scoring consistency over nine innings marks the last time that a National League team has pulled off the feat.
On a day when the wind was blowing out at the Friendly Confines, Colorado scored single runs in five of the nine innings and a pair of runs in the other four.
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The scoring frenzy starts innocently enough in the first inning with Larry Walker scoring on a two-out error by Cubs third baseman Gary Gaetti on a ball hit by Vinny Castilla. It would also end with an error in the ninth inning, with Walker and Dante Bichette scoring on a miscue by Cubs first baseman Mark Grace.
Bichette would finish the historic day 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI while leadoff hitter Chris Sexton went 2-for-5 with three RBI and hit his first (and what would be only) home run of the season in the seventh inning off Cubs reliever Dan Serafini.
Neifi Perez also hit his first home run of the year in the second inning. His homer would be the only run produced by the Rockies in that frame.
Pedro Astacio earned the win for Colorado, throwing eight innings and surrendering 10 hits and six earned runs while striking out 11.
As a note, the Rockies are the last National League team to score in every inning of a home win as well (eight innings), pulling the milestone during a 15-11 slugfest with the San Diego Padres on September 24, 2001.