DENVER -- The Rockies’ Hunter Goodman brought his home run stroke back home on Monday night.
Goodman launched a 442-foot solo shot to left-center in the seventh inning of the 10-7 loss to the Marlins at Coors Field to further his place in first-half MLB and team history.
His 26 long balls through 85 team games tie him with Todd Helton and place him one behind Larry Walker among Rockies, Hall of Famers both who achieved their feats in 2001. Goodman is tied with Ivan Rodriguez (2000) for third-most among catchers through 85 games, behind Johnny Bench (28 in 1970) and Cal Raleigh (33 last season).
“It’s super cool,” Goodman said. “You look up in right-center and you see [Helton’s and Walker’s] numbers -- in the Hall of Fame. Anytime you’re mentioned with that caliber player, it’s pretty cool.”
With history comes oddity. Goodman’s homer was his eighth at Coors. It seems counterintuitive, but in a sense it’s a pattern. Last year, when he finished with 31 and made his first All-Star Game appearance, Goodman knocked 18 on the road and 13 at home.
The reverse-split that’s more odd is his home vs. road slash line difference – .200/.280/.421 at home, .284/.335/.654 on the road. But with plenty of chances to hit at Coors, and with nights like Monday – a third-inning double off former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara (2022), followed by the homer off righty and onetime Rockies prospect Michael Petersen – will help bring the numbers into expected range.
Last season, while Goodman homered more on the road, he went .307/.356/.526 at home, .248/.288/.515 on the road.
“I’ve thought about it, but at the end of the day as long as I’m doing my job, putting good swings on good pitches, I think it’ll all even out,” said Goodman, who launched three homers in a victory at Minnesota on Saturday night.
Goodman’s 13 homers in June -- with one game still to go -- are the second-most in any calendar month by a Rockies player all time, trailing Troy Tulowitzki’s 15 in September 2010.
“‘Goody’ just keeps going,” Schaeffer said. “He’s a great player and he’s having a heck of a first half. It’s very impressive that he keeps going. He’s a force at the plate.”
The game was indicative of many recent Rockies performances, with spurts of team offense -- a three-run second that featured Jake McCarthy’s two-run double, and Kyle Karros’ two-run double in the third. The Marlins also kept the pressure on, with Griffin Conine’s three-run, pinch-hit homer off Victor Vodnik in the sixth and Javier Sanoja’s three-run triple off Antonio Senzatela in the seventh swinging the game to Miami.
The Rockies scratched out a run in the ninth before Goodman struck out and TJ Rumfield grounded out. Colorado had two comeback wins against the Red Sox to finish out the last homestand, and came from seven runs down in the eighth inning before bowing to the Twins in extras on Friday.
Each of the Rockies’ last 13 games have been decided by three or fewer runs – the second-longest such streak in club history behind a 15-gamer from Sept. 8-25, 1998.
“No matter the score, I think we always think we have a chance to compete and get back into a ballgame,” Goodman said. “It felt that way in the ninth there, too.”
No matter the venue, Goodman is always there to give the Rockies a chance.