DENVER — Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle had a hard time describing what had just taken place after he delivered the crowning blow in perhaps the wildest game of the major league season.
Doyle hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap Colorado’s stunning comeback from a nine-run, first-inning deficit in a 17-16 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
“Honestly, pretty speechless,” Doyle told reporters. “It’s hard to put into words. Just so proud of everyone in this clubhouse, never giving up. Man, what a win.”
Colorado won despite allowing nine runs during a first inning in which Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz hit a grand slam and Andrew McCutchen had a three-run homer.
The Rockies are the first team to overcome a nine-run, 1st-inning deficit since Cleveland on August 23, 2006 against Kansas City, according to ESPN Research.
The Rockies are also the first team to win despite allowing 15 or more runs since the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 19-17 in August 2008.
“Getting down nine in the first, it’s tough to come back from, but we kept the energy high,” Doyle said. “We kept the fight in us. Oh my God, what a game.”
Colorado scored one run in the bottom of the first, three in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 15-10. The Rockies still trailed 16-10 before scoring two runs in the eighth and five in the ninth.
Thairo Estrada singled home Bernabel before Doyle delivered a 406-foot shot to end the game.
The events in Colorado highlighted a night full of offense across the majors. According to StatsPerform, Friday marked the first time since June 23, 1930, that three major league games on the same day had at least 25 combined runs.
