Rockies’ Helton has a day to remember
| July 22, 2009 | 4:16 PM
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Todd Helton watches his 500th home run Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. (UPI Photo/Gary C. Caskey)
We’re going to be talking for the next few hours about Todd Helton‘s 500th double, which he hit in the third inning of Wednesday’s 4-3 win against the Diamondbacks. But it’s the hit in the eighth inning — his 321st home run, a solo shot that gave the Rockies its final lead — that probably deserves the attention.
The Rockies NEEDED this win. They took over the National League wild card lead Monday, but held onto it after a disappointing loss Tuesday only because the Giants also lost. A series loss to the Diamondbacks would be, while not exactly devastating, a huge letdown.
So up steps Helton.
As he did in 2007 with a walkoff homerun against the Dodgers in the second half of a day-night doubleheader, Helton gave the team the exact lift it needed, at the exact time it was needed and in exactly the right way. Helton may never hit 30 home runs again, but he remains the heart of the Rockies.
Read more about the game from Jack Etkin at InsideTheRockies.com.
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