Enjoy it while you can, because baseball is fickle. That seemed to be the message from slugging Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on Thursday after the home team clubbed four home runs, including three in succession.
“This is baseball,”said Tulowitzki, who crushed a first-inning home run. “It can go away tomorrow, or it can continue for weeks at a time. You ride it out as long as you can keep it going.”
Seth Smith is keeping it going.
After hitting two home runs Wednesday night, Smith came to the plate as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and promptly belted a two-run homer off Arizona ace Dan Haren. Carlos Gonzalez and Ryan Spilborghs followed with solo homers.
“If I can hold on to what I have now, I’ll be in good shape,” Smith said of his power surge. “I hope I can keep it going.”
Smith wasn’t sure he’d be available Thursday because the flu kept him awake most of Wednesday night. Because he was sick, he was held out of the lineup.
“I told them I had a swing today, and I was able to give them a good one,” Smith said. “I made it around the bases, thankfully. I wasn’t sure when I got here that I’d be able to play. But as the day went on, I felt better.”
To think that a week ago Rockies manager Jim Tracy was talking about weathering a storm when his team wasn’t hitting.
“I can’t remember the last time I sat in the same uniform and saw back-to-back-to-back home runs,” Tracy said.
The last time the Rockies hit three consecutive home runs was April 27, 2004, against Florida. That time it was Jeromy Burnitz, Charles Johnson and Matt Holliday.
Tracy said he’s playing Smith as much as possible but also is picking his outfielder’s playing time in favorable matchups with the opposing pitcher.
Since May 7, Smith has had seven multiple-hit games.
“I play our players in situations that make sense for their ability,” Tracy said. “Maybe he has seven multiple-hit games because he’s matched up against people that it makes good sense to have him out there as an offensive player.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
