PHOENIX — Look out Denver! Here comes Trevor Story.
The 23-year-old rookie made baseball history by becoming the first player to hit a home run in each of his first three big-league games and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Wednesday.
"It’s just kind of surreal right now," he said. "It’s hard to explain. I can’t really put words to it."
Story also is the first player in baseball history to hit a home run for each of his first four hits, according to information provided to the Rockies by the Elias Sports Bureau.
"It was fun to watch him," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said, "a young kid who has dreamt of this his whole life and shows up and is probably better than his dream was — that first game, that first series. … It is quite a story — pun intended."
Next up for the slugging shortstop, Friday night’s home opener against San Diego.
It was a big day for Tyler Chatwood, too.
The Rockies right-hander pitched a strong 6 1/3 innings in his first big-league appearance since recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. He said he wasn’t able quite yet to step back and realize that yes, he’d made it.
"I think I’ll be able to do that a little later," Chatwood said. "Right now I’ve still got adrenalin going. But it was awesome."
Then he broke into a huge smile.
Chatwood last start was in the same Phoenix ballpark on April 29, 2014. He went on the disabled list the next day.
Story’s two-run homer off Patrick Corbin in the first inning gave him four for the season. DJ LeMahieu and Ryan Raburn also homered for the Rockies, who hit 10 home runs in the series, nine of them against Arizona starters. The Rockies took two of three from the Diamondbacks.
Chatwood (1-0) allowed two runs, one earned, and seven hits, striking out three with one hit batter.
"I’m sure he had this date circled on the calendar. " Weiss said. "He went out there and did an outstanding job. That’s the Chatwood that we all remember. Goes out there and competes like a bulldog, great stuff, a really big day for him and for us."
Nick Ahmed homered off closer Jake McGee in the ninth to make it a one-run game, but McGee got the save.
Corbin (0-1) pitched seven innings, giving up four runs and eight hits. He struck out six, including Story twice after the home run.
"I thought Patrick threw the ball well," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "It just seemed like every mistake we made in this series was a home run, not a hit but a home run. Unfortunately the mistakes he did make went out of the ballpark and today we weren’t able to make up for it."
Story also made a lunging grab of Paul Goldschmidt‘s sharp line drive in the fifth inning, one of several slick plays by the Rockies infield.
The Rockies hit three home runs off Zack Greinke, four off Shelby Miller and Corbin, overpowering what the Diamondbacks feel is a strong 1-2-3 start to the rotation.
Story connected with Corbin’s third pitch of the game, sending it to deep left-centre field, far over the 415-foot sign.
Goldschmidt was hit by a pitch to reach base for the 38th consecutive game, tying Luis Gonzalez’s franchise record.
HEADED HOME
Story hit four home runs in the dry desert air of Arizona and there’s no telling how many he’ll hit in notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field in Denver.
He will play his first game there Friday night when the Rockies end their two-plus months in Arizona and play their home opener against San Diego.
"I’m just ready to get there and see what it’s all about," Story said before Wednesday’s game.
TRAINING ROOM
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray, on the 15-day DL with an abdomen injury, threw 30-35 pitches in the bullpen Wednesday. Manager Walt Weiss said Gray is close to getting a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Rockies are off on Thursday then play San Diego on Friday in Colorado’s home opener. Jordan Lyles will start for Rockies, Colin Rea for the Padres.
Diamondbacks: Arizona opens a four-game home series with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Rubby De La Rosa gets his first start of the season for D-backs, Jon Lackey makes his season debut for Cubs.
