Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score on May 22, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 22, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- Most leadoff hitters are content with setting the tone for their team's offense, getting on base and letting their teammates drive them home.

Not so with the Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon.

The 30-year-old center fielder has become much more than just the table-setter for his club. He is one of the most productive hitters in the entire National League.

That continued on Monday night, as Blackmon collected two hits, drove in three runs and scored twice as the Rockies kept rolling. Colorado posted an 8-1 win over the skidding Philadelphia Phillies behind seven strong innings from rookie starter Jeff Hoffman.

Blackmon's key hit, a looper into shallow left field, came during a decisive third inning, which saw the Rockies collect more hits (four) and runs (three) than the Phillies would get all evening.

Colorado finished the game with 13 hits, the fourth game in a row and 11th time this month the Rockies had a double-digit hit total.

The multi-hit outing pushes Blackmon's NL-leading hit total to 60. He also has 35 RBIs, which ranks in the top 10 in the league. His average is up to .321.

It could have been even more. Blackmon's groundball up the first base line in the ninth inning eluded the glove of Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph, driving in two more runs, though it was ruled an error, costing Blackmon a third hit and a fourth RBI.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado added a two-run home run, his 12th of the season, in the ninth inning for the final margin.

While the win was the 11th in the last 16 games for the Rockies (29-17), it was the 18th loss in the last 22 games for the Phillies (15-27), who were two games above .500 in late April but have had a May to forget.

Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (0-5) lasted six innings, giving up nine hits and four runs. He threw 93 pitches (62 for strikes), striking out four without issuing a walk.

Seven of those hits -- and all of the allowed he runs -- came in the third and sixth innings.

Colorado added a run in the sixth on a Gerardo Parra sacrifice fly, then four more in the ninth. The insurance ended up being unnecessary on a night when yet another promising youngster was impressive on the mound for the Rockies.

Hoffman (2-0), called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Albuquerque, retired the first 11 batters he faced before giving up a two-out double to Aaron Altherr in the fourth inning. The Phillies left fielder scored on the next pitch as Joseph singled him in to cut the Rockies' lead to 3-1.

But that was the only real moment of weakness for Hoffman, one of four rookies who started games for the Rockies this season. In his second major league start of the year, he only gave up three hits and one run as he made it to the seventh inning for the first time in eight career starts.

Hoffman also contributed offensively, with a sacrifice bunt in the third inning and a single up the middle in the fifth for his first major league hit.

NOTES: To make room on the roster for RHP Jeff Hoffman, the Rockies optioned OF Raimel Tapia to Triple-A Albuquerque. Tapia is hitless in 12 major league at bats this season, with one walk in five strikeouts. ... This was the first game of a seven-game homestand for the Phillies, who spent the previous 10 games on the road. They are in the middle of a stretch where they play 21 of 31 away from Citizens Bank Park. ... The four-game series represents the end of a 10-game road trip for Colorado, its longest of the season. The Rockies are now 5-2 on the trek after winning series at both Minnesota and Cincinnati. ... Tuesday's matchup pits Rockies RHP German Marquez (2-2, 4.34 ERA) against Phillies RHP Zach Eflin (0-1, 4.25 ERA).