DENVER -- The Rockies’ Raimel Tapia traded drama for excitement Saturday night at Coors Field.

Tapia provided the answer to two questions -- Could he extend his hit streak to 16 games? And would he feed his doubles habit? -- on the first pitch of the bottom of the first. Tapia went 2-for-4 and figured in three runs, two he scored and one he drove in. But the Brewers’ Willy Adames launched a two-run homer in the ninth off Tyler Kinley as the Rockies saw their longest win streak of the season end at five games, 6-5.

“I feel great -- I have a lot of confidence,” Tapia said in Spanish, translated. “That’s the most important part, and the results are there.”

Hits for Tapia are becoming as much part of his routine as the beans, rice and chicken he eats before the game, and the usual celebratory Domino's pizza order he or his wife will make postgame (home or road) -- extra cheese, bacon and pepperoni.

Alas, the pizza was enjoyed in defeat Saturday. He fanned with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth against Trevor Richards, and the Rockies didn’t score. Still, Tapia’s production has keyed a 5-1 mark on a Rockies homestand that ends with Sunday’s series finale against the Brewers.

During the streak, which is the Rockies’ longest since Trevor Story’s 16-gamer Aug. 11-28, 2019, Tapia is 32-for-72 (.444) with 14 doubles and 10 RBIs. Tapia’s stat pattern has taken the form of a bell curve. He was at .301 on May 13, but shortly thereafter sank into a slump that dropped him to .253 on June 1 after an 0-for-5 home performance against the Rangers.

That was also the last time he didn’t get a hit. Now he rests at .303. Tapia entered with a goal of winning a National League batting title, after his .321 mark last season landed him seventh in the NL. Now, he is putting up numbers that could garner consideration for an honor along the way -- inclusion in the All-Star Game at Coors on July 13. He said, “I’d be honored to make it,” but it's not his current focus.

A common sight is Tapia standing at second, uniform dirty, basking in the crowd’s cheers and giving the dugout the two-fisted knock that signifies double in their esprit de corps ritual. But how he gets there is somewhere between science and instinct.

Tapia ends up dusty because the doubles are mostly daring. They’re usually opposite way and land in front of the left fielder, who must run a long distance and then make a throw from Coors’ spacious outfield. He had a little more time to beat Christian Yelich’s throw in the first inning Saturday, so he slid feet first. Usually, it’s hands first, yet elegant.

“I don’t really notice the outfielders,” Tapia said. “If I get a good read, my legs are strong enough right now and I feel healthy enough right now to get that extra base.”

Tapia's style has had an effect on others. This homestand has seen the Rockies having more productive innings in each game than at any other point in the season. Recently, rookie Yonathan Daza (.433 over an eight-game streak) has been singing from the same song sheet as Tapia.

On Saturday, Daza's first-inning single off Brewers shortstop Willy Adames’ glove and his fifth-inning hit-and-run single, after Tapia had walked, were Daza’s latest ploys to move Tapia to third with no outs. Earlier in the week, Daza used the bunt (one he beat out for a hit) to move Tapia to third.

The current Rockies don’t have much home run power, and past Rockies teams have often fallen into habits of individual rather than team offense. Tapia sparks different, and welcome, ways to score.

“He’s set a standard for himself,” manager Bud Black said. “And he set a standard for how the guys look at him as a teammate.”

Whatever the Rockies’ future makeup -- 2021 is shaping up as an opportunity for players to claim roles for what they hope is a sustainable contender -- it appears Tapia will be one of the key pieces.

“He’s been awesome,” infielder Ryan McMahon said. “I’ve seen this every step of the way. But I think even now in the big leagues it’s the best it’s ever been.”