Moniak's happy homecoming (2 HRs) not enough for Rockies

SAN DIEGO -- Trips home are always kind to Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak, who grew up in Carlsbad, Calif.

Saturday was spent watching golf and talking baseball on the ride to Petco Park with his grandfather, Bill Moniak, who once played in the Red Sox organization; and his father, Matt Moniak, who played briefly at San Diego State. Many of Mickey's buddies from La Costa Canyon High School made it, but not his coaches this time.

“They were golfing, so they had better things to do,” Moniak said, smiling.

Moniak put on yet another show for family and friends, with two home runs and four RBIs on a 3-for-4 night. The 9-5 loss to the Padres ended with Moniak on deck as Ezequiel Tovar’s fly ball into short center field ended the game.

Moniak knocked a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third. Both, plus an Edouard Julien solo shot in the third, came off his teammate with the Rockies last year, righty and winning pitcher Germán Márquez.

Colorado led 4-0 after Moniak's second blast, but Rockies starter Ryan Feltner struggled with movement and location, and gave up a Manny Machado two-run homer in the third, a Ramón Laureano three-run homer in the fourth and six runs overall on seven hits and three walks in four innings.

Moniak’s second homer, to right-center field, might or might not have been a gift for loved ones who showed up.

“My whole family was in the Toyota Terrace in right-center field, and they were going crazy,” said Moniak, who had a two-homer game last Sunday at home against the Phillies and has five for the season. “So it was cool. I don’t know if they got a ball, but I threw them one when I moved to center field.”

Big offensive games at Petco are becoming expected for Moniak, who dominated a four-game series against the Padres last Sept. 11-14. He went 7-for-14 with five RBIs and three stolen bases, and capped it with two homers in the finale.

“Mick’s a big part of what we do,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “There were some really good swings tonight. You always feel good when Mick comes to the plate. It doesn’t matter if it’s [at home] or in San Diego. Wherever it is, we like Mick.”

But the Rockies lost three of four in last year’s series and have dropped the first three in this four-game set – after they had fashioned a four-game win streak at home.

At least this series has felt different to Moniak.

Last year when Moniak feasted at Petco, en route to a 24-homer season that eventually earned him a one-year, $4 million contract to avoid arbitration, the Rockies were skidding to a worst-in-baseball 43-119 finish. This season is young, and at 6-9, the Rockies are expecting better. The first two games were walk-off losses on homers -- 7-3 on Xander Bogaerts’ 12th-inning grand slam Thursday and 5-2 on Gavin Sheets’ three-run ninth-inning homer Friday night.

Moniak noted that “getting to sleep in your own bed is nice.”

Too bad he couldn’t close his eyes while reliving ninth-inning heroics on Saturday.

“You’re always hoping to get up with the game on the line, and more importantly with a chance to win the game,” he said.