Offense awake, Rockies go for 2 straight wins against Blue Jays

The visiting Colorado Rockies exacted some revenge on the Toronto Blue Jays to open their three-game series and hope the trend continues Tuesday night.

The Rockies won the series opener 14-5 on Monday night to flip the script from the last time the teams met.

The Blue Jays were rude visitors in sweeping a three-game series at Coors Field last year. They outscored their hosts 45-6.

In the series opener on Monday the Rockies outhit the Blue Jays 17-7 and used a seven-run sixth inning to break open the game.

It was the second victory for the Rockies in franchise history in Toronto against 11 losses.

Troy Johnston's 423-foot homer to right ignited Colorado's big inning. Ezequiel Tovar had three hits and three RBIs, and TJ Rumfield had three hits and two RBIs.

The Rockies lost three one-run games to the Miami Marlins to open the season, so the Monday eruption was welcome.

"These guys, they expect to put up good (at-bats) every day," Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. "It's good for them to have that day, specifically pinch hitters off the bench. They did a really nice job today. That's what we want our identity to be, to move the line."

Toronto lost starting pitcher Cody Ponce in the third inning when he suffered what was termed right knee discomfort as he tried to field a grounder to the right side of the infield. He went down in pain and left the field in a cart.

He was scheduled to have an MRI.

"He kind of felt it hyperextend, that's what he told me on the field," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

Ponce was pitching in the majors for the first time since 2021 after pitching in Japan and Korea.

"It [stinks], his first outing you know and his journey, what he has been through," Schneider said. "He gets back here and he's throwing the ball really well. There's a lot of emotion that went into today for him. He was really excited."

Right-hander Max Scherzer (5-5, 5.19 ERA in 2025) is Toronto's scheduled starter for the middle game of the series. He is 3-5 with a 4.24 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rockies. He last faced them in 2023.

Scherzer was hampered by a thumb issue early last season that limited his innings. That has not been the cause so far.

"Your right arm's everything, especially your right hand," Scherzer said. "So to not be dealing with anything on my arm is obviously music to my ears. Now we can worry about all the other little knick-knacks that are happening across my body and getting that ready to go and even worry about other things, not my thumb or shoulder."

Right-hander Ryan Feltner (0-2, 4.75 in 2025) is slated to start for Colorado. He is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA, in his one career start against Toronto that came in 2024.

Feltner dealt with shoulder and back injuries last season.

"Last year was the most frustrating of my career, for sure," he said. "I just don't think my back was able to rotate properly, and because of that, something else was going to take the stress. That was the shoulder. It was all so frustrating."

--Field Level Media