LOS ANGELES -- The beauty of center fielder Charlie Blackmon's late-season success is that there's no reason one can pinpoint. Blackmon entered Monday's Game 163 showdown with the Dodgers for the National League West title with hits in 20 of the last 22 games -- and a cycle in Sunday's 12-2 victory over the Nationals.
There are patterns in the stats. For example, the .382-point increase between Blackmon's August OPS (.652) and his September number (1.034) is the greatest of any player in the Majors -- more than the .277 uptick for the Brewers' Christian Yelich (1.030 August, 1.307 September).
Blackmon did allow early in his hot streak that he made a slight adjustment that allows him to see pitches better, but the real secret is, well, nothing. There were no major changes in his hitting approach, in his mechanics or in his fundamentals. And that's the beauty of Blackmon.
"He does the same thing every day," hitting coach Duane Espy said. "I haven't seen him do anything different. He hits because he's a good hitter."
Blackmon's surge was more noticeable because of a career-best 17-game hit streak that ended on Thursday, but his offensive leadership has been there all along. He was at .273 after going 0-for-3 at Atlanta on Aug. 19. From then through Sunday's cycle, he added 16 points to his average. It's not last year, when he hit .331 to win the NL batting title and homered 37 times, but it's good, and it's consistent.
That consistency is a calming factor, especially in the heat of a postseason race. His preseason technique would be textbook if he ever decided to write it, and it has an effect on teammates.
"He's so ingrained in his routine that you find him in the same spot at the same time, different day," shortstop Trevor Story said. "He gets assurance from that.
"Usually, we end up in the video room at the same time, most of the time. We'll talk about the pitcher or talk about stealing bases. Or I'll see him in the food room for pregame meal. Those are the times when I'll say, 'We're all right.'"
The same-ol'-sameness becomes important as the games that will decide the season arrive.
Blackmon used his 0-for-4 performance in last year's 11-8 Wild Card loss to the D-backs as motivation. The box score said he had one productive out, a sacrifice bunt, but he was actually going for a hit and bunted too hard.
But instead of letting that game burn in his soul, he used it as a lesson to keep cool, to not let anything disturb his routine. Sunday was an example. The Nationals decided not to start Cy Young candidate Max Scherzer, for whom the Rox had prepared. But that morning, Blackmon said, "It really doesn't make a difference; I've got to be ready to play."
Then he cycled.
Blackmon has a chance to help bring home the first division title in club history -- something important to Blackmon, who in the first year of a six-year contract guaranteeing him $108 million -- but he won't let excitement disturb his preparation.
"The thing is, whether you're there or not, you're going to play anyway," Blackmon said. "So it's more or less being ready with what you've got."
Freeland awaits the call
The next time the Rockies play, wherever it is, expect lefty Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA) to be the starter, although manager Bud Black has not officially announced it.
Freeland is 1-1 against the Braves, the Rockies' possible opponent in the NL Division Series. On April 8 at Coors, Freeland gave up three runs -- on Nick Markakis' two-run homer and Dansby Swanson's solo shot -- in six innings of a 4-0 loss.
If the Rockies end up in the Wild Card Game, Freeland has pitched reasonably well against the Cubs, who lost their tiebreaker to the Brewers, 3-1.
Freeland pitched once against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, on April 30, giving up three runs on six hits, fanning five and walking one in six innings.
The secret to Davis' success
After giving up three runs at home to the Dodgers on Aug. 9, Wade Davis entered Monday having yielded just one run and seven hits in 18 innings pitched. One key may have been diet -- as in, he ended it.
"I lost a lot of weight after the All-Star break, so I decided to put some on, and it took some time," Davis said. "It was late August that I had finally put some weight on, and it felt good. I'm a little heavier than I was last year. I'm 220 right now, and I was down to 212 at one point."