MIAMI -- Nolan Arenado's brilliant season continued in productive fashion in Friday night's 6-3 loss to the Marlins, as he became the first Major Leaguer to 100 RBIs this season.
The firsts keep coming, though. Arenado became the first to eclipse 100 RBIs before anyone else in the National League for three straight seasons since Hall of Famer Willie Stargell did so with Pittsburgh from 1971-73.
"I mean, there's a consistency to his game that is showing up," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "I think you guys saw it the previous two seasons. We're seeing it this year. This guy is coming into his own as a player."
• Arenado setting historic RBI pace
Arenado's 99th and 100th runs driven in came on one pitch. He waited on an 88-mph changeup from Jose Urena in the third inning and deposited it over the right-center wall at Marlins Park to give the Rockies an early 2-0 lead.
The long ball, his 26th of the season, traveled an estimated 403 feet at an exit velocity of 104 mph, according to Statcast™.
"They're looking for the changeup outside on the corner. We threw the changeup a little high," Urena said. "He did a good job and hit a homer."
Arenado needed just 112 games to reach the century mark. It marks the three-time All-Star's third straight 100-RBI season, and he has led the Majors in that category each of those years.
"He's having a great year for sure," Black said. "He's one of the best players in the game, and he's doing it every day."
Since the start of the 2015 season, Arenado's 363 RBIs are unsurprisingly the most in the Majors over that span. Edwin Encarnacion (303) is the only other player with more than 300.
Part of Arenado's off-the-charts production level this season is his ability to hit with runners in scoring position. He leads all Major League qualified hitters with a staggering .446 average (50-for-112) and 77 RBIs in those situations.
"He's improved offensively to the point now where he's one of the most dangerous hitters in the game," Black said. "And the numbers speak for themselves."