A late-night session in the batting cage and a spirited
discussion helped Nolan Arenado get his swing back.
Arenado broke out of a slump in a big way, hitting two homers and
driving in six runs Sunday to boost the Colorado Rockies past the
Chicago Cubs, 11-4.
The All-Star third baseman was 1 of 16 during the Rockies'
homestand before getting four hits. He passed Cubs slugger Kris
Bryant for the NL homer lead.
''I've been grinding, I haven't really felt like myself, so to be
up there, it's a good feeling,'' Arenado said.
Arenado credited Sunday's results to his work with batting practice
pitcher Garrett Carson late Saturday night. He said the two stayed
after the loss to the Cubs to watch video and work in the cage.
''We almost got into an argument,'' Arenado said. ''He would be
like, 'I feel like there's not much off' and I'd be like, 'No,
there is something off.'''
The two concluded Arenado was overstriding, and he went into
Sunday's game with renewed confidence.
''After (Saturday) night I was able to sleep better after what I
worked on,'' Arenado said. ''I applied it today and it worked out.''
Arenado hit a three-run homer during a seven-run burst in the first
inning that included three Cubs errors, then added another
three-run drive in the fourth.
Arenado leads the majors with 104 RBIs - he had a big league-high
130 last year - and tops the NL with 32 home runs.
Jorge De La Rosa (8-7) tossed eight innings, giving up two home
runs to Addison Russell.
De La Rosa delivered a two-run single in the first as the Rockies
quickly ended Jason Hammel's 22-inning scoreless streak.
De La Rosa scattered four hits and struck out six in matching his
longest outing since last Sept. 16. Russell was the only batter to
reach second base against the lefty, who outpitched his former
teammate.
''Everything was working really good except those two pitches to
Russell,'' De La Rosa said.
Hammel (13-6) had been 6-0 with an 0.95 ERA since the All-Star
before getting roughed up. The Rockies scored 10 runs off him, six
earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
Arenado's first homer hugged the left-field foul pole to start the
early outburst. Tony Wolters had a two-run double and De La Rosa
added his single.
Arenado singled in the second and drove Hammel's first-pitch
fastball into the left-field seats to make it 10-0 in the fourth.
''A lot of foul balls today off my slider and two mistakes to
Arenado,'' Hammel said. ''That was pretty much the story.''
DJ LeMahieu also homered for Colorado.
Russell hit solo homers in the fifth and seventh, and the Cubs
scored two more off reliever Matt Carasiti in the ninth.
The Cubs' last run came when pinch-hitter Jorge Soler hit a foul
popup between home and first and Anthony Rizzo ran in from third to
an uncovered home plate.
The Cubs will be in San Diego tonight to open up a 3-game series.
