DENVER -- Only after his seventh-inning single did Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon allow himself to wish it had been a double.
Blackmon ended up a double shy of hitting for the cycle while lashing four hits for four RBIs to help the Rockies to a 12-6 victory over the Marlins at Coors Field on Saturday night.
"I'm not going to say I wasn't thinking about it," said Blackmon, whose four hits matched a July 29 performance against the Mets for a season high. "But if you had asked me beforehand, 'Would you take a hit?' the answer is yes every time."
With the Rockies down, 2-0, Blackmon launched his 13th homer this season and his 18th career first-inning leadoff homer, off Marlins starter Andrew Cashner -- projected by Statcast™ to be a 438-foot shot to right field. Blackmon added an RBI triple off Cashner and a two-run single off Mike Dunn in the Rockies' seven-run sixth inning, then singled to left-center off Nefi Ogando.
Blackmon entered the game on an 0-for-10 skid, but he didn't let it stress him.
"I tried not to overthink it," Blackmon said. "I actually tried to simplify, tried to do less, relax and just let it come."
Blackmon can afford to relax. The Rockies, with an offense that's riddling opposing pitchers with patience and production, are 15-7 since the All-Star break and have climbed to three games behind the Cardinals and Marlins, who are in the second National League Wild Card position.
"I just feel like we're playing like we're supposed to play right now," Blackmon said. "I always felt we're really good, and now we're playing good."