Rockies tie franchise record with 7 homers, beat Reds 17-4

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DENVER (AP) — This version of The Blake Street Bombers had a night to remember at Coors Field, blasting their way to a little history.

Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon each hit two of Colorado’s team record-tying seven homers, powering the Rockies to a 17-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

It was the first time Colorado hit seven homers in the Mile High City. The team also had seven on April 5, 1997, in Montreal, when Larry Walker and the original Blake Street Bombers were going deep.

“We hit seven homers as a team tonight? That’s a lot of homers,” Blackmon said. “We should do that every time.

“Seven is a lot. The Bombers couldn’t do it, so why did we do it? Everybody got locked in tonight at the same time.”

Blackmon created a little bit of history for himself, becoming the first Rockies player to hit leadoff homers in back-to-back games. He also added his first career grand slam in the seventh.

Carlos Gonzalez homered for a fourth straight game, while DJ LeMahieu and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Blackmon nearly broke the team homer record in the eighth, but his drive was caught near the warning track in left.

Still a lot of long balls, though.

“I’ve been in a lot of games where we score a lot of runs, but today was impressive, because everybody was hitting a home run,” Gonzalez said. “I’m happy that I was part of it.”

Rockies right-hander Jon Gray (3-2) was certainly the beneficiary. All that run support made his night rather easy as he allowed three runs in six solid innings for his second straight win.

It was far from an easy night for Jon Moscot (0-3), who got hit hard in his return from the disabled list. He surrendered seven runs and four homers in two innings. Moscot also was grazed in the right ear by a pitch in the third while pulling back on a bunt attempt. In the process, he hit himself in the side of the head with his bat. Moscot stayed down for a moment before taking his base.

Moscot was replaced on the mound in the bottom of the inning. The right-hander was making his first start since April 27 after being sidelined by inflammation in his non-pitching shoulder.

“Every mistake I made got hit,” Moscot said. “I’ve got to be better than that. Two innings is just not good. It’s frustrating.”

The seven homers allowed by Cincinnati’s pitching staff tied a single-game club record. The last time it happened was May 25, 1979, at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“We don’t have a great deal of experience here,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “That doesn’t make it OK to come out and give up 17 runs.”

A day after the Reds hit five homers, it was the Rockies’ turn to play long ball. They had two homers in a five-run first, two more in the second, another in the third and sixth and finally Blackmon’s blast in the seventh.

After that, Cincinnati’s relievers kept Colorado inside the park. Still, the team had a franchise-best 14 extra-base hits.

The only late-inning drama was whether Parra or LeMahieu would hit for the cycle. Both finished a triple short. So did Gonzalez after his double in the eighth.

“It was a little too late,” Gonzalez said. “Fun game. A lot of smiles.”

Arenado had his first day off of the season Monday and came back rejuvenated with his third two-homer game this year. He now has 16 homers.

Blackmon is having quite a series, beginning the game on Memorial Day with a homer against Dan Straily and hitting a fastball from Moscot over the fence in right-center.

Blackmon got his 50th and 51st career homers in his 500th game.

Joey Votto and Jay Bruce hit solo homers off Gray in the sixth to make it an 8-3 game. Colorado’s pitching staff has now surrendered 10 homers in the last four games.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Reds: RHP Caleb Cotham went on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. … 2B Brandon Phillips was scratched because of a sore left foot.

Rockies: RHP Adam Ottavino (Tommy John surgery) threw 25 pitches to hitters before the game. “Looked real good,” manager Walt Weiss said. … INF Mark Reynolds received the night off.

UP NEXT:

Reds: Lefty John Lamb (0-3) searches for his second career win. He earned his first last September against St. Louis.

Rockies: Righty Tyler Chatwood (6-3) makes his sixth start of the season at Coors Field, where he has a 5.10 ERA.

Colorado Rockies third base coach Stu Cole, left, congratulates Charlie Blackmon as he circles the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jon Moscot to lead off the bottom of the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/06/web1_110648686-a41f8acbad654b8fb40c06180a210bf1.jpgColorado Rockies third base coach Stu Cole, left, congratulates Charlie Blackmon as he circles the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jon Moscot to lead off the bottom of the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado, left, is congratulated by Carlos Gonzalez after Arenado hit a two-run home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jon Moscot in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/06/web1_110648686-5713ea9e0f66467f82c7fa56c775a6ad.jpgColorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado, left, is congratulated by Carlos Gonzalez after Arenado hit a two-run home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jon Moscot in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies’ Daniel Descalso, scores on a double by Tony Wolters as Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart looks for the throw in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/06/web1_110648686-b721ab02323a41af9488c0ab2b554a10.jpgColorado Rockies’ Daniel Descalso, scores on a double by Tony Wolters as Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart looks for the throw in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 31, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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