DENVER — If the Toronto Blue Jays were looking for a remedy to their recent struggles, Coors Field proved to be the perfect cure.
Coming off a rough stretch where they lost six of their previous eight games, the Blue Jays erupted offensively in Denver, setting a new MLB record with 63 hits in a three-game series during a dominant sweep of the Colorado Rockies. They recorded 25 hits on Monday, 14 on Tuesday, and 24 on Wednesday, breaking the long-standing record of 62 hits set by the 1950 Boston Red Sox against the St. Louis Browns.
Toronto also launched 13 home runs during the series—the most ever surrendered by the Rockies in a three-game span. Bo Bichette contributed three hits on Wednesday, including a pivotal three-run homer that jumpstarted the Blue Jays’ offense in the third inning.
On the mound, Rockies starter Kyle Freeland gave up seven hits over 4.2 innings on Wednesday—surprisingly the best showing by a Colorado starter during the series. Tanner Gordon and Anthony Molina allowed 11 and 9 hits in their outings on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
“We need to pitch with more confidence and command,” said interim Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer, whose team fell to 30-84 on the season. “We’ve got to finish hitters when we get the chance.”
Colorado’s inability to do that showed in Wednesday’s 20-1 blowout, where Toronto scored their first six runs all with two outs.
Over the course of the series, the Blue Jays outscored the Rockies 45-6. That +39 run differential ranks as the second-largest in modern MLB history for a three-game series. It’s also the most runs scored in a three-game set since the 2019 Chicago Cubs tallied 47 against the Pirates.
The 45 runs, 63 hits, and 13 homers were all the most allowed by Rockies pitchers in any three-game series in franchise history.
Things got even more bizarre late in Wednesday’s game. Trailing 12-1 in the ninth, the Rockies turned to catcher Austin Nola for emergency pitching duty—his first-ever appearance on the mound. Unlike his brother, Phillies ace Aaron Nola, Austin gave up eight hits and eight runs, including back-to-back RBI doubles to Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“It stings to lose like that three games in a row,” Nola admitted. “But we’re still big leaguers. We know we can compete. We’ve got to move on and show up in Arizona with a fresh mindset.”
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