The Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres opened the 1999 season against each other in Monterrey, Mexico. Starting the final campaign of the century on Easter Sunday, Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla returned to his home country of Mexico and left his fellow countrymen with some great memories.
Castilla went 4-for-5, including a first-inning double that ignited the pro-Rockies crowd, while Dante Bichette also went 4-for-5 with four RBI to pace an 18-hit attack as the “visiting” Rockies defeated San Diego 8-2 to open the season before a packed stadium of 27,104.
Bichette had an RBI single in the first inning, then hit a two-run single in the second to chase Padres starting pitcher Andy Ashby.