Rockies shorstop prospect Trevor Story digs in before hitting a three-run homer Thursday afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt l River Fields.
( Shelly Bolt, Special to The Denver Post )
Scottsdale, Ariz. — Trevor Story, the Rockies’ talented 23-year-old shortstop prospect, continues to state his case that he’s ready for his big-league debut.
Story blasted a three-run, 442-foot homer in the third inning Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields. The Rockies led Arizona 6-5 going into the bottom of the ninth.
Story’s towering drive off of Arizona’s Zack Godley landed in the cactus-and-rock garden high above the 410-sign on the center-field wall.
With Jose Reyes out for in indefinite time as Major League Baseball investigates allegations of domestic violence, Story has a chance to break camp as Colorado starting shortstop.
The Rockies won the game in the ninth when Rafael Yona walked, advance to third on David Dahl’s single and scored on a wild pitch by Arizona reliever Jose Cisnero.
HITS
* Carlos Gonzalez hit his first homer of spring, a 381-foot solo shot to right field in the fifth.
* Dahl, the highly prized outfield prospect, hit an RBI double to score Mike Tauchman in the seventh inning to give the Rockies’ a temporary 5-4 lead. Dahl then added his single in the ninth and stole a base.
MISSES
* Starter Jordan Lyles, working on his sinker and curveball, was not very effective. He gave up two runs on three hits in his two innings.
“I was working on some things, true, but I wasn’t happy with my results,” he said. “A run’s a run. I’m sure I’ll look at it differently tomorrow, but I’m not real happy right now.”
Lyles, who missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, is expected to be part of the starting rotation.
* Right-hander Eddie Butler, coming back from a tough 2015 season threw the ball loose and easy — his fastball hit 98 mph — but he got behind in some counts and that cost him. Butler allowed two runs on four hits in his two innings, the big blow a two-run double to Rickie Weeks on a 2-0 count.
UP NEXT
The Rockies travel to Mesa to play the Oakland A’s at Hohokam Stadium, 1:05 p.m. (No TV, no radio)
Rockies pitchers: LHP Chris Rusin, RHP Shane Carle, LHP Harrison Musgrave, RHP Simon Castro, RHP Brock Huntzinger, RHP Carlos Estevez.
A’s pitchers: LHP Sean Manaea, LHP Dillon Overton, RHP Ryan Madson, LHP Sean Doolittle, RHP Angel Castros.
