Denver, CO

Ryan McMahon’s splashdown homer, Cal Quantrill’s gem lift Rockies over Pirates

Published

2 years ago

May 4, 2024

Press Room

Ryan McMahon’s splashdown homer, Cal Quantrill’s gem lift Rockies over Pirates

The Rockies, oh so desperately needed someone to make a big splash.

Two players delivered Friday night — one of them literally — in the Rockies’ 3-2 win over the Pirates at PNC Park.

Ryan McMahon led off the Rockies’ three-run sixth inning with a 445-foot homer that splashed down in the Allegheny River. That inning gave right-hander Cal Qauntrill all the support he needed to notch his first victory in a Rockies uniform.

The Rockies (8-24) snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 3-14 on the road. But the win didn’t come without white knuckles. Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz crushed a two-run homer off lefty reliever Jalen Beeks’ 0-2 changeup in the ninth, but Beeks struck out Connor Joe and Jared Triolo to preserve the win and get the save.

The Rockies also, finally, put an ugly record to bed. They had trailed in each of their first 31 games to begin the season, bypassing the 1910 St. Louis Browns (28 games) for the longest such streak to begin a season in the Modern Era.

“Yeah, it was like since the 1916 ‘somebodies’ … It’s good to not be a (footnote) for sure,” manager Bud Black joked with reporters after the game. “But it does feel good. I don’t think of those things during a game, but thanks for reminding me. I’ll sleep maybe a little better tonight because I haven’t been sleeping well at all. It’s been awful.”

Quantrill pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up just three hits, all singles. His split-finger change-up confounded the Pirates, and he struck out nine and walked none. Seven of his strikeouts came via his split-finger pitch. He also got seven groundball outs; of his 99 pitches, 66 were thrown for strikes.

The right-hander became just the third Rockies pitcher to pitch at least seven scoreless innings with nine or more strikeouts and no walks. The other two are German Marquez, with nine innings and nine strikeouts on April 14, 2019, at San Francisco, and Jon Gray, with nine innings and 16 strikeouts on Aug. 17, 2016, vs. the Padres at Coors Field.

Quantrill looked like he might have a chance for his first complete game, but when he plunked Joey Bart with two outs in the eighth, Black replaced him with reliever Jake Bird.

“Cal’s fastball command was the ticket,” Black said. “That was old-school. It was down-and-away and enough inside command as well.”

McMahon’s enormous homer jump-started Colorado’s stalled offense. He punished veteran left-hander Martin Perez’s 1-1 changeup for his team-leading fifth home run. McMahon joined Hall of Famer Todd Helton as the only Rockies player to reach the Allegheny River.

Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, right, is greeted by Elias Díaz as he heads to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Martín Pérez during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Helton did it on May 4, 2001, the first year PNC opened. Helton was the second player to accomplish the feat. Houston’s Lance Berkman was the first. McMahon became the 49th player to hit a homer into the Allegheny River. It’s been done 71 times.

“That was right in my loop,” McMahon told Rockies.TV.

Black knew McMahon’s homer was special the moment the ball left the bat.

“As soon as he hit it, I knew it was out of the stadium,” Black said. “Our bench erupted. When you see something majestic like that, it’s pretty cool. When you have a beautiful swing like McMahon’s, and there’s contact and it goes like that, it’s magical. He crushed it.”

Designated hitter Elias Diaz followed up McMahon’s homer with a double. Elehuris Montero drove in Diaz with a single to left and took second on a throw to the plate. Brendan Rodgers battled reliever Hunter Stratton through a 12-pitch at-bat to score Montero with an RBI single to right.

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (0-2, 4.50 ERA) at RHP Jared Jones (2-3, 3.18 ERA)

2:20 p.m. Saturday, PNC Park

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Gomber has pitched relatively well but has nothing to show for his efforts. He’s coming off a season-high seven-inning game against the Astros in Mexico City. He allowed four runs on six hits, but the Rockies lost 8-2. Gomber, the former Cardinal, is familiar with the Pirates, having faced them eight times. In his four starts against the Bucs, he’s 0-2 with a 10.20 ERA.

Jones, just 22, has never faced the Rockies. He’s coming off a tough, 3-2 loss at San Francisco. He gave up three runs over five innings. He enters Saturday’s game tied with the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto with the most strikeouts (42) among all major league rookies. He’s had seven or more strikeouts in his first five career games and has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his first six big-league starts.

Pitching probables

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (0-2, 4.50) at RHP Jared Jones (2-3, 3.18 ERA), 2:20 p.m.

Sunday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-2, 5.13) at LHP Bailey Falter (2-2, 4.22), 11:35 a.m.

Monday: Off day

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Denver, CO

Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver

Published

8 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver

March 1, 2026 / 2:21 PM MST
/ CBS Colorado

Denver police are looking for information that could help them identify the suspect in a fatal assault overnight.

Officers were called to the scene in the 9700 block of E. Hampden Avenue around 2:08 a.m. They said an injured man at the scene was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he has been pronounced deceased.

DPD says they’re investigating the case as a homicide. They did not provide the identity of the man who was killed or further details on the case.

Police encouraged anyone with information about the attack or the possible suspect(s) involved to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.

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Denver, CO

Richard Jackson Obituary | The Denver Post

Published

20 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Richard Jackson

OBITUARY

Richard E. Jackson, affectionately called “Jackson”, was beloved by his family, friends and colleagues. He passed peacefully surrounded by his wife and children. He was receiving exceptional medical care at City Park Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center at the time of his death. A devout Catholic, he received his Last Rights from Fr. John Ludanha of Blessed Sacrament Church and School.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Gannon University and a Master’s degree in Education from the George Washington University. For over 30 years, he was employed by the federal government, mostly as an analyst for the Social Security Administration (SSA). Other positions he held were: Beneficiary Services Specialist, Division of Medicare, Health Care Financing Administration; Public Affairs Specialist for SSA; and Management Analyst SSA Office of Management and Budget. After he retired, he was a consultant to the State of Colorado Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Jackson was a devoted father, step-father and foster father. He would take over the kitchen and cook spaghetti and meatballs, a family favorite, and then transport children to gymnastics practice and friends’ houses. He had a remarkable sense of humor, bringing joy and laughter to his home. He adored his wife and would leave her weekly love notes in drawers around the house. Exercising at the Denver Athletic Club, taking walks with his wife, and reading the New York Times were three of his favorite activities. He was born in Westfield, New York. His parents were Canadian immigrants. He was the youngest of eight children.

He is survived by his wife, Joycee Kennedy; his children – Kimberly Jackson (Mike Estes), Dawn Jennings (Ed Jennings) and Kevin Jackson; his stepchildren – Cary Kennedy (Saurabh Mangalik) and Jody Kennedy (Christopher Thompson); his grandchildren – Elizabeth, Chase and Drew; his step grandchildren – Kadin, Kyra, Bryce and Sena; and his first wife Madonna Smyth.

Services will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church – the time and day to be announced.

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Denver, CO

Students push for statewide

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Students from across the Denver metro are heading to the state Capitol to push for free after-school opportunities statewide.

The proposal would create a “My Colorado Card” program, giving students in sixth through 12th grades access to cultural, arts, recreational and extracurricular activities throughout the state.

For students like Itzael Garcia, Denver’s existing “My Denver Card” made a life-changing difference. He said having access to his local recreation center helped keep him safe.

Itzael Garcia explains how the My Denver Card program has helped him.

CBS

“We had a couple stray bullets go through our living room window, we had people get shot in front of our house, different things like that,” Garcia said. “Over the summer, being able to go to the public pool, it provided a space for us to all come together. In a way, it acted as a protective factor.”

The My Denver Card provides youth ages 5 to 18 with free access to the zoo, museums and recreation centers. For some, like Garcia, it has served as a safe haven.

That impact is why students involved with the nonprofit FaithBridge helped craft legislation to expand a similar pilot program to communities outside Denver.

“We really just thought that inequity and really distinct opportunity deserts for students was really important for us to correct,” said Mai Travi a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School. Another student echoed that sentiment.

“We have a lot of students in the program that come from Aurora Public Schools, and they don’t have access to the same cultural facilities that we have living here; opportunities that really define our childhood experiences,” said Jack Baker, also a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School.

Vernon Jones (right) speaks with students in My Denver Card program.

CBS

Vernon Jones, director of the nonprofit FaithBridge, said organizers are still working out logistics but hope to partner with counties across Colorado.

“This is a strategy to work for all of Colorado,” he said.

Denver school board member Marlene De La Rosa said the My Denver Card program has been impactful since its launch in 2013.

“For students that are on free and reduced lunch, the ‘My Denver Card’ can help scholarship some of their fees to participate in the youth sports at the recreation centers,” De La Rosa said.

Last year, 45,000 Denver youth had a card, accounting for 450,000 visits to recreation centers, outdoor pools and cultural facilities, she said.