Rockies beat D-backs with five home runs, including a 504-foot blast by C.J. Cron and a walk-off by Elias Diaz

The late, great Vin Scully once said: “You don’t need an official scorer at Coors Field. You need a certified public accountant.”

He forgot to add a surveyor to track home runs distance and a psychologist for the pitchers.

There were eight home runs hit in the Rockies’ 13-10 victory over Arizona on a chilly, misty Friday night at Coors. Colorado won the game on Elias Diaz’s walk-off, three-run homer off lefty Caleb Smith.

It was Diaz’s second homer of the night and the fifth launched by the Rockies. It concluded a career night for Diaz, who hit 4-for-5 with a double and seven RBIs. The catcher, who was not available to comment after the game, set career highs in both hits and RBIs, and it was his first-ever multi-home run game.

Included in the barrage was Colorado first baseman C.J. Cron’s two-run homer off Keynan Middleton in the fourth inning that traveled an estimated 504 feet, tied for the second-longest homer of the Statcast Era (since 2015). Cron’s homer trails only Nomar Mazara’s 505-foot blast for Texas on June 21, 2019.

“That was pretty cool,” Cron said. “I’m a big dude and I like hitting homers. It was fun to finally hit one … It’s been a while since I hit one like that, so I’ll take it.”

Asked if he’s got all of it, Cron replied: “I’ve got a little bit more in the tank. I’ve got a little bit more. At least one more foot.”

Cron’s titanic homer, which flew over the left-field concourse and possibly cleared the Toyota Tundra truck perched on a platform, tied Giancarlo Stanton’s blast as the longest in Coors Field history. Stanton, playing for Miami at the time, hit his homer on Aug. 6. 2016 in the fifth inning off Chad Bettis.

Manager Bud Black has been waiting for the Rockies’ to unleash their power all season.  He’s seen it show up lately. The Rockies have homered 12 times through four games of the current homestand after hitting just four through their previous 10-game road trip. Colorado’s nine extra-base hits, including four doubles, were its most in a game this season.

“I don’t think the hitting coaches or I can put a finger on it,” Black said. “The power is in there, right? We’ve talked about it. The power is in the track record of a lot of these guys and now it’s starting to show up.”

On the strength of solo home runs by Ryan McMahon in the first and fourth, a two-run blast by Diaz in the second, and Cron’s monster shot, the Rockies led 8-1 entering the fifth inning. But then the Diamondbacks lit up starter German Marquez and reliever Austin Gomber, scoring nine runs on six hits to take a 10-8 lead.

Marquez, who appeared to be back on track recently, melted down. He served up a leadoff homer to Corbin Carroll, gave up three singles, hit No. 9 hitter Geraldo Perdomo, and walked two, including issuing a free pass to Ketel Marte to force in a run.

“I kind of got lost and I couldn’t find the zone,” Marque said. “It was just one inning.”

Gomber came on with the bases loaded and saw Daulton Varshow hit Gomber’s first-pitch slider over the right-center field wall for a grand slam.

Marquez was excellent in his last two starts against the Mets and the Reds, but both of those games were on the road. Coors Field has eaten him alive this season. He has a 6.78 ERA with 19 homers given up in 15 starts in LoDo.

“The pitch that I think kind of turned the inning for the Diamondbacks, and for German, was the hit by pitch,” Black said. “It loaded the bases. I think that was the turning point.”

Marquez was clearly thankful that his teammates rescued a victory.

“It was amazing to see those guys, knowing what they know to do,” Marquez said. “I’m just happy we won.”

As for Cron’s tape-measure homer, Marquez said: “It was amazing. It was unbelievable. It’s the first time I’ve seen a homer like that, over the concourse.”

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