Colorado Rockies morning after: 3 things to like from Rangers series sweep

DENVER, CO - APRIL 1: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies runs towards first base during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day at Coors Field on April 1, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 1: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies runs towards first base during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day at Coors Field on April 1, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 19: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies looks on while walking off the field during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field on August 19, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

2. Blackmon swinging the bat like Chuck Nazty

After a horrendous start at the plate this season in which he compiled a .184 mark in April, Blackmon batted .310 in May and is now hitting .262 after his season-tying three-hit performance (including a solo homer) Thursday against the Rangers.

He is now just five hits shy of joining Larry Walker for the second-most hits in franchise history.

His three RBIs on Thursday allowed him to pass Andres Galarraga for the eighth-most all-time in the category in club annals. In the matchup with Texas on Wednesday night, he played in his 1,171st career game to surpass Walker for the third-most in team history.

3. Starting pitching rotation on a roll at Coors Field

Thanks, in part, to Gomber’s excellence on the mound at 20th and Blake, Rockies starting pitchers have carded a 2.24 ERA (84.2 IP, 21 ER) in the last 14 home contests. That mark includes an exceptional 1.84 ERA by the starting corps in the last 12 games (73.2 IP, 15 ER).

Besides Gomber, Jon Gray is 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA (42 IP, 11 ER) in seven home starts this season. Meanwhile, German Marquez has an 0.90 ERA  in his last three starts (20 IP, 2 ER) with two of those outings coming at Coors Field in which he has permitted a total of just one run in 14 innings. Antonio Senzatela has a 3.83 ERA (47 IP, 20 ER) in eight starts at home.

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Colorado will seek its fifth straight win (and seventh consecutive home triumph) on Friday in the opener of a three-game home series against the Oakland Athletics. Gray (4-5, 3.71) is slated to start for the Rockies with first pitch slated for 6:40 p.m. (Mountain time).

The Rox enter the game with a 5-0 interleague record this season.