DENVER -- Even after scoring six runs over two innings to build a seven-run lead in the middle of Friday night's 10-7 victory over the Mariners, the Rockies knew it wouldn't be over.
And in a Coors Field game that felt like anything could happen, it wasn't over. The Mariners built a seventh-inning rally, but the Rockies held on in the series opener that was backed by their offense compiling 14 hits.
"We try to keep the pedal to the metal throughout the whole game, no matter where we're playing and no matter who it is," Rockies shortstop Trevor Story said. "We know that team over there is a really good team, and we respect them a lot. We knew it wouldn't be over quick."
Gerardo Parra, Ian Desmond and Tony Wolters all singled in runners to run the score up to 8-3 in the fifth, and the Rockies scored two more in the sixth to score double-digits in two of their last three games.

Colorado (49-45) has won three straight and eight of its last 10 games to keep pace in a tight National League West race.
With right-hander Jeff Hoffman serving as the emergency starter for the Rockies, who scratched Antonio Senzatela with a right middle finger blister, the club had to find a way to win. They found it with eight two-out RBIs.
"The approach the guys are taking, it's been pretty solid," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "It's nice to see with two outs because those -- from the other side -- break your back a little bit. So, proud of our guys in that regard, and we've been swinging the bat better."
Going into Friday night, the Rockies were batting .240 with two outs and runners in scoring position, second only to the Braves in the National League. But they aren't consciously thinking about the number of outs there are when they're at the plate, Story said.
"It's just when guys are out there, you want to bring them in," Story said. "And I think it's just as simple as that."
Rockies batters put together nine up-the-middle or opposite-field hits. With a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, Charlie Blackmon homered for the fifth time since his day off from the starting lineup on July 1. Story continued his hot streak with a two-run homer in the third inning to make it 4-2, along with tallying his team-leading 67th RBI this season.

With his two-RBI double in the sixth that increased the lead to 10-3, Story set the record for most RBIs by a National League shortstop prior to the All-Star break.

Hoffman, who was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to make his first Major League start of the season, threw 77 pitches in 3 1/3 innings. He was on pitch-count watch after throwing 45 and 59 pitches in his two starts in Albuquerque, respectively. He previously made five bullpen appearances with Colorado in June. Hoffman gave up four hits and two runs in the first inning to put the Rockies in an early deficit.
"The competitor in me wants to say that I wanted to be better, wanted to go longer," Hoffman said. "But at the same time, in the process of building back up, throwing 100 pitches tonight wasn't really realistic."
Hoffman's two-run deficit came on two soft singles and a throwing error when he tried to pick off Jean Segura in the first. But he limited the damage at two, and got out of the next two innings unscathed.

"I've been through a good amount in the big leagues, had my failures and my successes," he said. "Every time something like that happens, you think back to, 'This is how I failed last time, so this is how I gotta try to get better.'"
The offense came through to pull Hoffman out of his hole, which is something that might not have happened in June, when the Rockies' pitching slumped to a 6.20 ERA. The offense failed to make much happen, leading to an 11-16 month.
But now, the Rockies are 10-3 over their last 13 games at home, and 8-3 in July.
"We're on a good roll right now," Story said. "It's all about pitching and timely hitting, and we've done that well lately. We're a very confident team, both offensively and defensively, so we feel like we can be really good."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With Hoffman making the emergency start, it stood to reason that multiple relievers were necessary. When the Rockies took a seven-run lead into the seventh, however, it looked to be a much-needed night off for setup men Scott Oberg and Adam Ottavino, and closer Wade Davis. However, all three worked in the game, with Davis earning his 26th save.

The issue was Harrison Musgrave's sudden loss of control in the seventh, when he walked two and gave up Kyle Seager's RBI single with one out. Denard Span's two-run triple off Chris Rusin followed. Oberg, who struck out two of the three batters he faced and yielded only Ben Gamel's RBI single, prevented the game from truly spinning negatively.

Musgrave (1-3) was solid for most of his three innings, while earning his first Major League win, but there is room for improvement.
"He's a heady pitcher," Black said. "He knows that for his career to continue and be successful, he can't walk guys at the rate that he's walking, but I love the fact that he doesn't scare off."
Musgrave's outing was extended because righty Bryan Shaw -- just back from a right calf strain and an early-season slump -- is still trying to prove he can be used in tight situations.
Oberg has held opponents to one run in his last eight appearances since returning from a lower-back strain.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Gene Hackman's character in the movie "Hoosiers" would have been proud. Remember the scene when he told his team to throw at least five passes before shooting? Well, the Rockies took that advice to heart on the diamond in the fourth inning.
Wolters scooped a Hoffman pitch out of the dirt and caught Gamel too far from first, firing to Desmond at first.
It was the first of five throws that it took to record an out.
The ball went from Wolters, to Desmond, to Story, to DJ LeMahieu, to Wolters -- who slipped, dropped the ball, then picked it up to keep the rundown going, to LeMahieu, to Story and finally to third baseman Nolan Arenado for the tag between first and second.

"It was not the best rundown," Story said. "I feel like he was timing his turns perfectly every time. That usually doesn't happen.
"We just needed to cut down on a couple throws there."
The play saved the Rockies a run. The next batter, Chris Herrmann, tripled, and scored on Bergman's single. In a game that went lopsided, but ended close, the play turned out meaningful.
HE SAID IT
"They were just hitting it perfect for me, I guess. The pitching got a lot of great ground balls for us." -- LeMahieu, discussing his multiple sliding defensive plays -- on his 30th birthday

UP NEXT
After two Triple-A starts -- one good (six innings, two runs) one dicey (4 2/3 innings, 102 pitches) -- righty Jon Grayreturns to the Majors to face the Mariners and lefty Wade LeBlanc (5-0, 3.99) on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. MT. Gray (7-7, 5.77 before being sent down) has said he needs to clear his mind of mechanics and negative thoughts, and just let his ability flow. Saturday is his chance to do so.