The moment not only defined the Rockies’ 2017 season, it also personified the baseball heart of Nolan Arenado.
On June 18 at Coors Field — Father’s Day — Arenado blasted a walk-off, three-run homer off closer Mark Melancon to beat San Francisco 7-5 in front of a crowd of 48,341. But this wasn’t just any walk-off homer. It completed the first cycle of Arenado’s career and gave the Rockies their first four-game sweep of the Giants in the team’s 25-year history.
With blood streaming down his face because of a cut suffered during the celebration at home plate, and with infield dirt smearing his white jersey, Arenado worked the crowd into a frenzy that afternoon.