PHOENIX -- Can the regular season get here already for Rockies shortstop Trevor Story? His two-run homer off Jhoulys Chacin in the first inning of Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Brewers supported his contention that he’s on pace.

“Just a first-pitch fastball,” said Story, who has three Spring Training homers. “It’s easy to be timid in Spring Training -- or not timid, but not as aggressive. I just went out there and trusted myself to be ready for the first pitch.”

Three games ago, Story carried a .217 Cactus League batting average. But in the last three games, he is 4-for-8 with two home runs and four of his five total RBIs. It’s been a process to reach this point.

Story broke it down:

• Story, like almost all of the position players, was in camp before and through the period when only pitchers and catcher were working out officially.

“You’re always working on your swing, but you use that first week before everybody reports to get into the flow of Spring Training, get used to the fields in BP and seeing our BP guys,” Story said. “You’re working on different things with your swings. Once spring progressed, you shift to the mentality of what to look for, what’s going to happen and what to look for in the game.”

• When hitters begin official workouts, they step in for live batting practice against pitchers who are ahead -- like, way ahead.

“You see a lot of bad swings, and swings at some bad pitches,” Story said. “It takes hitters a little hit to get going. The only guy I’ve ever seen that’s ahead of the pitchers is DJ [LeMahieu, now with the Yankees]."

Story had some forgettable live BP sessions.

“Jeff Hoffman made me look a little silly, and Jesus Tinoco, too -- he threw some bowling ball sinkers up there, and some kind of split that obviously I’m not sure what it was,” he said.

• The early spring, when his numbers were poor, was devoted to timing, and not as much to thought process.

“It’s a see-it-and-hit-it type mentality,” Story said. “Which is similar to what I do in-season. I don’t really sit on pitches. But you change your sights throughout the field. You can start thinking along with guys later in spring.”

• In his career, including last year in the postseason, Story is 2-for-11, with a double and a home run, against Chacin. Now that he’s doing a little thinking, Story devoted some thought to the idea that Chacin could challenge him in the strike zone early.

“He was with us in ’15, but I never faced him in ‘lives,’” Story said. “I’ve seen hime a few times in the last three years. He’s got me a lot. I’ve gotten him a couple times.”

Story’s mind, body and swing are in a good place, manager Bud Black said.

“That was a good swing today,” Black said. “He got a first-pitch fastball. Overall, Trev’s been swinging the bat well this spring. No worries on Trev.’”

The third baseman is finding his swing, too

Nolan Arenado’s final turn against the Royals on Friday resulted in a 10-pitch walk and possibly helped lock in his swing. Arenado went 2-for-3 with a double Saturday, all against Chacin.

“Anytime a player gets hits, whether it’s Spring Training, a Wiffle ball game, a playoff game, they like getting hits,” Black said.

Gray in the (strike) zone

Righty Jon Gray struck out eight against two runs and four hits in five innings, with a slider that Lorenzo Cain drove for an RBI double being the only pitch he lamented. But after a Mike Moustakas double in the fourth, he fired a 97 mph fastball to strike out Eric Thames, and went up around the letters for a fastball to fan Cain on his final pitch.

“It was definitely coming out better. That was one thing I’ve been wanting to see the last couple times out, and it hasn’t,” said Gray, who has 22 strikeouts and one walk in 17 2/3 Cactus League innings. “So seeing it tick up today is a relief. I like seeing that.”

Updates

• After missing a week with soreness at the bottom of his right hamstring, Garrett Hampson, usually a second baseman, played four innings in left field. Black said the Rockies are going to gradually build him back to full duity.

• Lefty reliever Chris Rusin, who hasn’t pitched in a game since March because of upper-back discomfort, felt good after a side session Friday and will throw another Sunday.

• Black said righty Antonio Senzatela, who last pitched March 7, is “a number of days away” because of an infection in his right heel.

• Rockies bench coach Mike Redmond’s mother died on Thursday. Redmond will rejoin the team on Monday, Black said.