CINCINNATI -- Monday was a golden defensive night for Rockies two-time Rawlings Gold Glove outfielder Gerardo Parra and three-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado during a 5-1 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Parra and Arenado combined on a highlight throw and tag to rob Jay Bruce of a possible triple to start the fifth inning. Arenado also made a signature barehanded pickup and throw on a bunt by the blazing Billy Hamilton in the sixth -- a play that saved an important run.
The Rockies led 1-0 when Bruce lined a Jordan Lyles pitch that carried off the left-center wall and rebounded past left fielder Parra and center fielder Brandon Barnes. Parra retrieved the ball and used his momentum to fire a strike to Arenado, who caught it with his back to Bruce. Arenado simply spun into a backhand tag on Bruce. Replay confirmed that Bruce's leg was above the bag and not on it when the tag occurred.
"That's two Gold Glovers doing their thing right there, and that was a huge play at the time," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
Lyles, who held the Reds to one unearned run in seven innings, said he was surprised the hit traveled to the wall until he saw the video, and he was delighted that Bruce was out.
"Parra has one of the best arms you're going to see in the outfield, and Arenado is the best you're going to see at third receiving the ball -- not just grounders but deking baserunners," Lyles said. "You can't say enough about those two."
Hamilton, who is one of the fastest players of this era and who tied for second in the Majors last season with 12 bunt hits, tested Arenado with one out in the sixth and was thrown out easily. After that, the Reds would score their unearned run when Parra was charged for his cutoff throw that short-hopped shortstop Trevor Story and allowed a run that forged a tie that would have been a deficit had Hamilton been on base.

Earlier in the day, Arenado became the second Rockies player in as many weeks to earn a National League Player of the Week Award. Arenado shared the award with the Nationals' Bryce Harper for the week that ended on Sunday. Story won it for the season's first week.

"It's all about winning, all about producing. It's cool that it's gone to two Rockies these last two weeks," Arenado said.
Arenado believes the Rockies have the potential to make the season about more than occasional individual stories.
"It's hard to say that right now, but I think we're more ready for the long run than we have been in the past, that's for sure," Arenado said.