Battling foot issue, even-keeled Dickerson swats pair of HRs
Rejoining Rockies' starting lineup, outfielder's second blast ties game in eighth
DENVER -- Rockies left fielder Corey Dickerson stays cool.
He has plantar fasciitis in his left foot, has had it since late Spring Training. The pain caused him to leave Monday's game and miss much of Tuesday's. Truth is, he still has it, but it doesn't worry him. Returning to the starting lineup Wednesday to face Padres ace James Shields didn't faze him.
"Just don't care who's out there, go out there with same approach, knowing that we're good, that we've got each other's back," said Dickerson, who promptly swatted Shields' first pitch to him over the center-field wall in the first inning, tied the game with an eighth-inning homer and later smiled and celebrated a 5-4 victory.
Video: SD@COL: Dickerson hits a solo shot to center field
Colorado had lost five straight. You can guess how worried Dickerson was about that. He and third baseman Nolan Arenado both returned from injuries -- Arenado had left wrist soreness -- and the Rockies showed some mettle in pulling out a game that saw them lose the lead late.
Dickerson's homer and Arenado's RBI double in the first gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead, and they were up until the seventh, when the Padres took a 4-3 lead. The Rockies were four outs from their sixth straight loss when Dickerson swatted Joaquin Benoit's full-count changeup just left of center to give him four homers this season.
The homer ignited the Rockies, who loaded the bases against Shawn Kelley with one out in the ninth for pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso to deliver the game-winning single.
"This gives us a bunch of energy," Dickerson said. "I feel like the momentum is shifting. We've got a lot on our side. We believe in ourselves. We're over .500, so there's no reason to panic anyway."