Those of you who prefer pitchers' duels may want to look away. This weekend at Coors Field, the Padres and Rockies played the highest-scoring four-game series in MLB history. The two teams combined for 92 runs in the four games. 92!
The previous record was 88 runs, set by the Phillies and Dodgers in May 1929. That series was, presumably, played on Earth. The Padres and Rockies played this weekend with the gravity turned off. Here are the final scores:
- Thursday: COL 9, SD 6 (box score)
- Friday: SD 16, COL 12 in 12 innings (box score)
- Saturday: COL 14, SD 8 (box score)
- Sunday: SD 14, COL 13 (box score)
The Padres and Rockies combined to hit .379/.429/.645 with 17 home runs in 387 plate appearances this weekend. That is more or less what Hall of Famer Joe Medwick hit in 1937 (.374/.414/.641). Imagine a four-game series with Joe Medwick circa 1937 taking every single at-bat. It kinda just happened!
Sunday afternoon the Padres were down five runs in the seventh and three runs in the ninth, yet rallied to win the game. They scored three runs against Wade Davis, then Jon Gray (Thursday's starter) walked pinch-hitter Matt Strahm (Thursday's opposing starter) with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run.
Following Greg Garcia's game-tying triple, the Rockies intentionally walked the bases loaded to bring Strahm to the plate with two outs. The Padres were out of position players. Intentionally loading the bases in literally the highest scoring series in history was a bold strategy. It did not work.
Friday's game was, truly, one of the wildest games of the 2019 season. For the first time in franchise history, the Padres erased a six-run ninth inning deficit, and they went on to win the game in 12 innings. Outfielder Hunter Renfroe hit three home runs in that game. He had five homers in the series.
Padres wunderkind Fernando Tatis Jr. had the game-tying two-run single in Friday's game and he went 10 for 19 (.526) with two doubles and three triples in the series. That is insane.
Know what's even more insane? Tatis was only the second best leadoff hitter in the series. Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon went 15 for 24 (.625) with two doubles, one triple, and four homers in the four games.
Charlie Blackmon has set an all-time record for the most hits in any 4-game series. That was No. 15. #Rockies @Rockies
— Matt Kelly (@mattkellyMLB) June 16, 2019
Blackmon went into the series hitting a stout .305/.361/.582 on the season. He exited the series with a .336/.385/.652 batting line. Blackmon managed to add 94 points -- 94 points! -- to his OPS in one four-game series.
Padres righty reliever Luis Perdomo deserves a special mention. He appeared in three games this weekend and managed to work 5 1/3 scoreless innings. No other pitcher on either team threw more than 2 1/3 innings in the series without allowing a run. Wade Davis was torched for six runs in 1 1/3 innings. Coors Field, man. Crazy things happen there.
