The spirit of Dante Bichette and the Blake Street Bombers must have been hovering in the rarified air of Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.
That’s one explanation for the Rockies’ offensive fireworks in a 10-4 victory over the Dodgers. After all, Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of Coors Field’s inaugural game featuring Bichette’s game-winning, three-run homer in the 14th inning against the New York Mets.
A more earthly explanation is that the Rockies were simply due to break out of their April doldrums. They entered the game with a .239 team batting, third worst in the National League. They had lost 10 of their last 12 games.
Stabilized by a solid pitching performance by starter Jason Marquis, the Rockies finally hit the ball with consistent authority. Two-run homers by Clint Barmes and Ryan Spilborghs in the third inning off Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw put Colorado in front 4-0.
A five-run fifth, highlighted by Jeff Baker’s three-run triple over the head of center fielder Matt Kemp, turned the game into the laugher the uptight Rockies have so sorely needed.
Sunday’s offensive honor role was an impressive one: Dexter Fowler went 3-for-4 with an RBI, boosting his average to .286; Spilborghs added a run-scoring single to his first homer of the season, improving his average to .295; and Barmes went 2-for-4 and he’s hitting .271.
However, Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta remained mired in deep slumps. Tulo went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, his average falling to 167. He’s struck out 17 times in 54 at-bats. Iannetta went 0-for-3, though he did walk and trot home on Barmes’ homer in the third. Iannetta is hitting .128.
With the rotation in disarray in the early going, Marquis has been a stabilizing force. He improved to 3-1, pitching 7-1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked four.
Marquis got a little ragged in the sixth, yielding a single to Juan Pierre, a walk to Orlando Hudson and a two-run double to James Loney. He escaped a jam in the seventh by striking out Hudson to end the inning.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
