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 The two homers gave third baseman Arenado a career-high 19 in 280
plate appearances, one more than he hit last season in 467 plate
appearances. He matched his season high with four RBIs, giving him
58 -- second in the National League behind Miami's Giancarlo Stanton
(66).
"He's a guy that can change the game on side of ball on a nightly
basis," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Arenado. "He's a special
player."
First baseman Wilin Rosario, second baseman DJ LeMahieu and right
fielder Brandon Barnes hit solo homers for the Rockies, who last hit
five homers in a game July 9, 2014 at San Diego.
Arenado, who also extended his career-high hitting streak to 10
games, hit a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the
fifth when the Rockies batted around and erupted for six runs to go
ahead 8-4 and knocked out Arizona starter Chase Anderson (3-2), who
allowed a career-high eight earned runs. Both of Anderson's losses
have come against the Rockies.
During his current hitting streak, Arenado has gone 15-for-39 (.385)
with four doubles, one triple, four homers and 11 RBIs. He also has
raised his average 17 points to .287.
"We've seen the power (before), but now it's more consistent," Weiss
said. "He's just handling everything right now. He's handling the
high fastball. He's handling offspeed stuff down. He's in a good
place."
Arenado, who is in his third season in the majors, attributed his
power surge to being more experienced, knowing himself now as a
player and having more familiarity with the pitchers. But he said,
"If you would've asked me in spring training if I would hit 19 home
runs at this point, I'd be like, 'No shot.' "
Last year, Arenado hit 16 of his home runs at Coors Field. This
season, 11 of his 19 homers have come on the road.
"My buddies back in California make fun of me because all I did last
year was hit home runs in Denver," Arenado said. "My whole goal
(this season) is I just want to be able to drive the ball out of the
park on the road. Thank God I've been able to do that this year and
been able to come home and put some good swings (on the ball)."
The win was the third straight for the Rockies, their longest streak
since they matched their season-high four-game winning streak May
27-31.
Kyle Kendrick (3-9) gave up three more homers -- all before a
38-minute rain delay in the second -- bringing his major-league
leading total to 21 and accounting for four runs. But he didn't
allow any more runs, pitched six innings and won for the first time
at Coors Field as a member of the Rockies. He entered the game 0-4
with a 6.81 ERA in his six previous starts there.
"I'm not going to lie, it's a different place," said Kendrick, who
signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Rockies shortly
before spring training. "I'm happy to be here, but it's the way it
is. You just have to keep battling, keep trying to make your pitches
and take the ball every fifth day."
The Rockies homered twice while erupting for six runs in the fifth
inning and knocking out Anderson.
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Rosario's fifth homer of the season made it 8-4 and finished
Anderson. He gave up three homers, the number he had yielded in 79
1/3 innings entering this start. Arenado had the other two homers
off Anderson -- a three-run shot in the fifth and a solo homer to
lead off the fourth.
"You can't leave the ball up in this park," Anderson said. "They're
going to make you pay for it. It's just something to learn from.
I've just go to keep the ball down. That's the only thing I can
really take from this. Baseball -- you have those days and you learn
from them."
NOTES: The Rockies have yielded back-to-back homers three times this
season, twice by Kyle Kendrick. In addition to giving up
back-to-back homers in the second to Wellington Castillo and Nick
Ahmed, Kendrick gave up consecutive homers April 11 against the Cubs
to Chris Coghlan and Mike Olt. Scott Oberg yielded back-to-back
homers April 19 at Los Angeles to Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson.
... Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez, who left Sunday's game with a mild
sprain of his left hand, was not in the lineup Tuesday, but manager
Walt Weiss said Gonzalez is likely to miss no more than one or two
games. ... Rockies RHP Rafael Betancourt will throw a bullpen
session Wednesday. The Rockies then will decide whether he is ready
to be activated or needs to pitch a second game on a rehab
assignment. He is on the disabled list with vertigo symptoms caused
by a sinus infection and was eligible to be activated Tuesday. ...
Diamondbacks RF Yasmany Tomas was scratched from the lineup after
apparently feeling the effects of altitude. ... Diamondbacks RHP
Archie Bradley (right shoulder tendinitis) will start Wednesday for
Triple-A Reno. ... LHP Patrick Corbin, who is recovering from Tommy
John surgery performed March 25, 2014, and has made three rehab
starts, will likely make two more, the first on Friday for Double-A
Mobile. ... Diamondbacks C Oscar Hernandez (fractured left hand)
will continue his rehab at Triple-A Reno after going there from
Class A Kane County.
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reserved.]
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