Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said before Friday night’s game he was waiting for Rockies rookie shortstop Clint Barmes to come down to earth.
He better pull up a chair. This could take awhile.
Barmes hit two homers, had a career-high five RBIs and made a leaping grab to help Jeff Francis win for the first time in a night game, lifting the Rockies to an 18-3 victory over the Diamondbacks.
“I’m just happy when I see him show up,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s just working and playing and at the same time having a lot of fun doing it.”
Barmes has been the surprise of what has been a mostly disappointing season for the Rockies, his flashy glove and quick bat among the few positives for fans at Coors Field.
The rookie opened the season with a game-ending, two-run homer and hasn’t slowed down, leading the majors with a .400 average and getting at least two hits in six of his past seven games.
Barmes finished 3-for-6, hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning, a three-run shot in the fifth and a run-scoring double in Colorado’s nine-run seventh. He also speared Tony Clark’s liner in the fifth, saving at least two runs for Francis.
“Not a bad night, I guess,” Barmes said.
Garrett Atkins also homered and had three RBIs, and Matt Holliday finished 4-for-5 for Colorado, which scored its most runs since getting 20 against Arizona on Sept. 23, 2003. The Rockies had a season-high 19 hits, 10 for extra bases.
That was more than enough for Francis (3-1).
He had been superb during day games, going 5-0 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts, but was 0-3 with an 8.88 ERA in five night games.
The lanky left-hander didn’t have any problems under the lights this time, using his deceptive motion and command of the corners to hold the Diamondbacks to three runs and five hits in five innings despite getting the ball up in the zone at times.
Francis improved to 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA in five career starts at Coors Field.
“It wasn’t his best stuff, but he stayed away from the big inning and put us in a good position at the time he left the game,” Hurdle said.
