Cincinnati Reds at Colorado Rockies

DENVER – TJ Rumfield's first three at-bats were the type of singles that have made him a quiet National League Rookie of the Year candidate. But Rumfield raised his bat loudly in the sixth inning. His career-best fourth hit went a Statcast-projected 456 feet – the longest of his 13 home runs – for two runs in the Rockies’ 10-3 victory over the Reds at Coors Field on Saturday afternoon. The long-distance shot came off Reds left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson – significant because it was Runfield’s second left-on-left shot of the year. The other came off the Athletics’ Carlos Cortes, an outfielder who took the mound late in the Rockies’ 23-9 blowout on June 14. “It’s good to get one off a lefty – to hit it good is one thing, but to hit it far is another,” Rumfield said. “It’s just a good confidence builder for the rest of the season, for sure.” Rumfield has been a leader of an offense that for the last two months hasn’t always been loud, but it’s gotten its points across. Going into Saturday, the Rockies led the Majors in OPS (.815) and extra-base hits (146) since June 1. Rumfield, 26, who entered the day leading MLB rookies in batting, lifted his average to .302 with the 4-for-5 performance. Rumfield’s homer was the last of the club’s 14 hits and the only Rockies homer of the day. Of the three doubles, two – in the first inning by Jake McCarthy and Cole Carrigg – landed in front of outfielders. Brett Sullivan’s second-inning triple was a hard grounder past first base. McCarthy drove in a run with a bunt single on a squeeze play. “It’s obviously a cool day to have individually,” Rumfield said. “But collectively, this is one of our best baseball games we’ve played as a team. I’m just glad to get the win.”