Connor Joe’s legend grows as Rockies head to L.A. to face Dodgers

The Rockies’ ongoing feel-good communicative opens successful Tinsel Town Friday for a three-game acceptable against the mighty Dodgers.

Yep, “The Legend of Connor Joe” conscionable keeps getting better, adding scenes that adjacent a Hollywood screenwriter mightiness cull arsenic excessively corny.

Joe, the Rockies’ 29-year-old near fielder who battled testicular cancer past twelvemonth and spent a bully chunk of clip successful the minors this season, deed the archetypal expansive slam of his vocation Wednesday nighttime astatine Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The slam helped the Rockies snag a much-needed 13-10, 10-inning triumph implicit the Cubs successful the nightcap of a doubleheader.

“Dude, he’s truthful good,” said 3rd baseman Ryan McMahon, who yet clinched the crippled with a two-run homer successful the 10th. “I deliberation he’s an astonishing shot player. The at-bats that helium takes are highly professional.

“You astir felt the 1 coming; a 3-1 count, he’s been swinging it truthful good. That 1 was huge. He enactment america close backmost successful this game. I’m ever blessed for Connor. He’s the man. He’ll retrieve his archetypal travel to Wrigley, for sure.”

Added manager Bud Black: “Kudos to Connor for his continued play. It’s been great.”

How great? Since his callback from Triple-A Albuquerque connected July 20, he’s hitting .320 with 8 location runs, six doubles and 27 RBIs successful 28 games. With runners successful scoring presumption — the statistical look of clutch hitting — Joe is batting .405.

Overall, arsenic a starter, Joe has reached basal successful 31 of the 35 games he’s played, posting an on-base percent of .376. With Raimel Tapia connected the injured database with a strained large toe, Joe has been hitting leadoff — and thriving successful that role. He’s hitting .288 with 5 homers and a .394 on-base percentage.

Joe doesn’t look to beryllium letting occurrence spell to his head.

“I americium trying to beryllium the aforesaid feline each time I amusement up to the park, wherever I americium successful the lineup, (or) if I americium going to beryllium coming disconnected the seat that day,” Joe said Wednesday night. “It’s been bully to get successful a regular and beryllium successful the leadoff spot each night. I’m truly grateful for that opportunity.

“I deliberation I’m conscionable trying to bash the aforesaid happening I person ever done my full vocation and that is to get connected basal and nutrient runs whether I americium scoring them oregon driving them in.”

Black is not easy impressed by inexperienced players, but helium continues to springiness Joe beardown reviews.

“He’s been giving america bully at-bats,” Black said. “That’s benignant of the continuation of what we person been talking astir since he’s travel back. All of the statistical numbers you see? It’s successful order. That was a immense plaything that we needed and helium came through.”

Closer trouble. Hard-throwing right-hander Daniel Bard is struggling. Monday night, successful a 6-4 nonaccomplishment astatine Chicago, helium gave up a two-run, walk-off homer to Rafael Ortega. Wednesday night, successful the 2nd crippled of the doubleheader, Ian Happ deed a wind-blown, three-run homer disconnected Bard to nonstop the crippled into other innings.

Bard, who has seen his ERA leap to 5.19, has a 9.39 ERA successful 9 appearances successful August.

“He’s successful 1 of those closer’s slumps,” Black said. “We’ll speech astir it a small spot to spot what’s going on.”

Black, however, gave Bard a spot of a walk regarding the homer helium gave up to Happ.

“In each honesty, the lone parkland that that shot goes retired successful is Wrigley Field — with the upwind blowing out,” Black said. “But hey, that’s baseball. It happens. It’s Wrigley Field.

“No excuses from Daniel and he’ll archer you the aforesaid thing. But it happened. He would overmuch similar to get a groundball for a treble play. I don’t what to accidental we’ll get backmost to the drafting committee with Daniel, but he’s successful a closer’s slump, nary doubt.”