SAN FRANCISCO -- C.J. Cron has used his power to make the Rockies’ signing of him to a Minor League deal a real bargain. In the second inning of Saturday night's 4-1 victory over the Giants, Cron went the opposite way to right field -- tough in windy Oracle Park -- for his team-leading 19th home run of the season.
But speed? That’s not part of his skill set. His sprint speed average is in the 25th percentile, which means he is slower than three-quarters of Major Leaguers.
However, he counted on what little speed he possesses to push across an important run. In the sixth with the bases loaded, Giants pitcher Dominic Leone forced Cron into a grounder to shortstop Brandon Crawford -- normally the beginning of a deflating double play.
Not this time.
Cron busted a button to reach first base in 4.35 seconds and beat the throw. He received an RBI and saved a precious out.
“If you want to call it speed, I’ll let you,” Cron said with a chuckle. “I was just trying to get down the line.”
The next hitter, Ryan McMahon also received another RBI -- for a 3-1 Rockies lead -- on a ball that didn’t leave the infield, his grounder that Donovan Solano couldn’t pick up. McMahon displayed Cron’s hustling spirit again in the eighth by beating a throw from Crawford to prevent another double play and push across Trevor Story -- who had doubled for the second time in the game.
Cron’s opposite-way homer off Giants starter Sammy Long made an impression.
“You don’t see it often -- that’s raw power,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “C.J. is up to 19 homers now. There are more in there.”
Cron, who moved ahead of McMahon in the team homer count, said, “It felt good. At this park, you never truly know if you get one. I hit it low enough where I think it took a little bit of the wind out of it.”
But his hustle and that of the Rockies won this game. Well, the less-than-crisp Giants defense also played a role.
Nonetheless, the Rockies went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. If not for the ability to beat out possible double plays, a strong pitching effort -- led by Kyle Freeland’s six innings (one run, six strikeouts) -- might have gone for naught. Instead, the Rockies won for the first time this road trip, in the fifth of six games.
Friday night’s 5-4 loss, when Connor Joe homered in the ninth but Cron struck out with two on to end the game, helped motivate a Rockies team that spent the previous games of this trip seeking offense.
“I wish I could have gotten the job done last night for the boys, but it didn’t happen,” said Cron, who used his power and somehow found just enough speed to help win Saturday night’s game.