Blackmon flirts with cycle in slugfest vs. D-backs

PHOENIX — For the second straight night, Jean Segura smacked a pair of home runs to key an offensive outburst by the D-backs, who beat the Rockies, 11-6, on Wednesday night to record their first series sweep at Chase Field this season.

“It took long enough,” D-backs manager Chip Hale said on finally getting a home sweep. “We’d have liked to have done it earlier, but the guys are playing hard. We talk to them a lot about keep playing nine innings, keep playing hard, and they’ve never stopped. Even during the tough times, the losing streaks, they’ve never stopped playing hard.”

Charlie Blackmon gave the Rockies a leadoff homer of their own, but Colorado was unable to capitalize on a pair of first-inning walks from Rubby De La Rosa, leaving the bases loaded.

It was all D-backs from that point on as they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and then broke the game open with five runs in the fifth. Segura was in the middle of the five-run rally with a two-run homer off Jeff Hoffman (0-4).

“It’s a good offensive club that’s hot right now,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “They’ve got Segura. He’s turned into a heck of a player. Their offense shows up against us and once they get rolling it’s tough to stop them.”

After the Rockies got a two-run homer in the top of the sixth from Daniel Descalso, Chris Owings answered with one of his own in the bottom half.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDJean is a HR machine: Segura got the D-backs off on the right foot with a leadoff homer. It was his sixth leadoff homer of the season and he became the first Arizona player to ever hit leadoff homers in consecutive games. With five hits on the night, Segura increased his hit total to 182.

“I’m looking for a good pitch to hit, something middle of the plate to put the barrel on the ball,” Segura said. “I don’t try to do too much.” More >

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