CLEVELAND — His at-bats ticked away Wednesday afternoon, one after another, on three early rolled-over grounders in the dirt. But behind the bird’s-nest beard and expressionless face of Charlie Blackmon, his attention amplified.
The Rockies’ all-star center fielder hammered a two-out home run in the 12th inning to propel Colorado to a 3-2 victory over the Indians. Then he attempted to pass off the difficultly of an extra-innings swat to the seats with a shrug.
“I just thought he was going to throw me a fastball,” Blackmon said. “So I tried to whack it.”
Nobody was buying it. Blackmon’s game-breaking homer, the 101st of his career and his 27th this season, rallied the Rockies for their third victory in four against the American League champions. His four hits in two games was one more than Cleveland’s first five hitters combined.
“He has an innate ability in the most crucial of situations to get that extreme focus,” Colorado manager Bud Black said of Blackmon.
Added Cleveland skipper Terry Francona: “He’s one of the better hitters in the game.”
BOX SCORE:
After a dispiriting loss Tuesday night, when Cleveland turned on the final two pitches from Greg Holland to tie the score on a single and then win with a ninth-inning walk-off home run, the Rockies regrouped for a rally of their own Wednesday. A quickie trip through Ohio left them bolstered.
“That was a heartbreaking loss last night,” Blackmon said. “I’m really proud of the guys for bouncing back to get a win today.”
The Rockies’ two Venezuelan rookies, German Marquez on Tuesday and Antonio Senzatela on Wednesday, hurtled through the first-place Indians. Marquez threw six shutout innings. Senzatela followed with five innings, allowing just two runs to set up a comeback.
Colorado sneaked up to comeback on Cleveland in the ninth. Carlos Gonzalez, who went 0-for-3 on Tuesday, plopped a single to right-center. Jonathan Lucroy, discarded by trade from Texas last week, drove Gonzalez home with a liner, Gonzalez hustling around as the corner as Cleveland center fielder Bradley Zimmer bobbled the ball.
“I heard the crowd, but I never looked back,” Gonzalez said. “I was going hard, I was able to keep my momentum going to home.”
The Rockies’ lone run early came from bench player Alexi Amarista, the diminutive utilityman who took over left field and pulled a solo home run 392 feet to center field for a solo homer in the third inning.
Cleveland (60-51) got only a two-run homer from all-star switch hitter Francisco Lindor in the third inning off Senzatela, then was held in check by parade of Rox relievers — five of them combined to allow just one hit over seven scoreless innings.
Lefty Chris Rusin threw 2 1/3 innings with only an Abraham Almonte single against him. Jake McGee struck out two in the ninth, including leadoff hitter Jason Kipnis. Carlos Estevez walked only one in two hitless innings. Then converted starter Tyler Chatwood flew through the 12th, setting down the top of Cleveland’s order for his second career save.
“It was pretty cool to see Charlie hit a homer,” Chatwood said. “So I just tried not to mess it up.”
On Tuesday night, the Rockies nearly stole a game from all-star Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. Blackmon’s solo homer on the second pitch of the game gave them a lead that stood until the second-to-last pitch of the game, when Austin Jackson singled in Brandon Guyer. On the next pitch, Yan Gomes homered off Holland to center field.
“As disappointing as it was last night, I think itap just as gratifying or more today,” Black said.
Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer on Wednesday was similarly stout. He gave up just one run on seven hits through seven, after striking out nine and walking none. The Rockies persisted, long enough for Blackmon to find a 95 mile per hour fastball to his liking from reliever Zach McAllister. His shot landed well into the green seats of Progressive Field.
“He never gives up an at-bat regardless of the score or whatap going on,” Black said of Blackmon. “Itap cold, itap hot, itap rainy, itap windy, he gives you a good one. And that was a great swing.”
