It was June 28, and the reeling Rockies — then a season-worst eight games back in the division and four games under .500 — weren’t just about to get swept by the Giants in San Francisco. They were three outs from a defeat which felt like the beginning of the end to Colorado’s once-promising season, one marred by under-performing bats, inconsistent starting pitching and shoddy bullpen work.
Then, with hope in short supply around the Colorado fanbase, DJ LeMahieu stepped to the plate and reversed the club’s first-half fortunes. His clutch two-run dinger in the ninth inning that afternoon gave the Rockies a 9-8 victory, and provided the vlota for Colorado’s surge heading into the all-star break.