DENVER — Trevor Story has rebounded from a sophomore slump with an All-Star season for the Colorado Rockies.
Story homered and drove in four runs, Charlie Blackmon also connected and the Rockies beat the Seattle Mariners 10-7 on Friday night.
Tony Wolters had three RBIs for Colorado, which won its third straight.
Story hit 27 home runs before a broken thumb ended his rookie season, and he struggled for most of 2017 and the first two months of this season before turning things around. He is hitting .356 since June 1 and has a team-high 67 RBIs, which are third-most ever by an NL shortstop before the All-Star break.
"The experience of last year and early this year has helped me a lot," the third-year shortstop said. "I use my struggles to help me. If I’m not feeling too good there are a couple of things to go to that I can shorten those times."
He struck out 320 times in his first 242 major league games and was well on that pace in late May but has fanned just 35 times in his last 37 games.
"We’ve seen a great progression from a year ago to now. We’ve all seen it, firsthand," manager Bud Black said. "We’ve seen it become All-Star calibre."
Both teams used emergency starters but neither made it through five innings. Seattle’s Christian Bergman (0-1), a former Rockies pitcher, gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings and left during Colorado’s four-run fifth inning.
Colorado righty Jeff Hoffman was called up to start for Antonio Senzatela, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand. He allowed three runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings and left after allowing an RBI single to Bergman that made it 4-3.
The Rockies took a 4-2 lead in the third on Story’s two-run homer, his 19th, and broke it open in the fifth. Gerardo Parra and Ian Desmond had back-to-back RBI singles and Wolters had a two-run single to make it 8-3.
"A couple of those pitches got a little too much of the plate, a little elevated," Bergman said. "When you get a little up in the air like that, things like that happen."
Story added a two-run double in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-3.
Harrison Musgrave (1-1) pitched three innings to get his first career win but ran into trouble in the seventh. He walked two and gave up an RBI single, and Denard Span had a two-run triple later in the inning as the Mariners cut the deficit to 10-7.
Wade Davis tossed a clean ninth for his 26th save.
Seattle has lost five of its last seven but still leads Oakland by 4 1/2 games for the second AL wild card. The A’s played a late game on Friday.
We’ve had a good first half. We’re sputtering here a little bit," manager Scott Servais said. "We’ve got to regroup."
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: C Mike Zunio (bone bruise in left ankle) hit off the tee and worked in the cage but has not started running, Servais said.
Rockies: OF David Dahl (broken right foot) is progressing and could be sent out on a rehab assignment within the week.
CAUTIONARY MOVE
Seattle left-hander James Paxton was placed on the 10-day DL after leaving Thursday’s start with lower back inflammation. Paxton didn’t make the trip but the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, Servais said.
"He wasn’t scheduled to pitch again for 10 days so it makes all the sense in the world to do that," Servais said. "I talked to Pax this morning. He felt OK this morning, he doesn’t think it’s going to be something that’s going to allow him to miss his next start. He should be in good shape."
The Mariners made a series of moves Friday to bolster their bullpen. Right-hander Casey Lawrence was recalled from Triple-A and righty Mike Morin had his contract selected. In corresponding moves, infielder Gordon Beckham and reliever Nick Rumbelow were optioned to Tacoma.
UP NEXT
Seattle LHP Wade LeBlanc (5-0, 3.39) will face Rockies RHP Jon Gray (7-7, 5.77). Gray, who was Colorado’s opening day starter, was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on June 30 after struggling but will be recalled for Saturday’s start.
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