This Date In Sports History: The Colorado Rockies Host First Home Game In Franchise History

By Jordan Long

The Colorado Rockies started play in Major League Baseball in 1993.  They were on the road for their first two games against the New York Mets.  Colorado dropped both games by a combined score of 9-1.  They headed back home to play their 1^st ever game in Colorado at old Mile High Stadium on this date, a game that my family and I went to.  I don’t’ remember a whole lot about the game since I was only 5 years old.  They faced the Montreal Expos.

                The Rockies started pitcher Bryan Smith while Montreal went with Kent Bottenfield. Colorado exploded out of the gate with 4 runs in the 1^st inning including the first home run in Colorado Rockies’ history by Eric Young who was the first batter of the inning. 

                Colorado extended their lead in the 2^nd inning on a single by Alex Cole.  Colorado kept adding runs scoring 2 runs in the 4^th, 5^th, and 7^th innings.  The score stood at 11-0 heading into the 9^th inning.  It looked like it could be a shutout.  Montreal had other plans, scoring 4 in the top of the 9^th.  Colorado ended up with an 11-4 victory which made their record 1-2 on the season. The attendance that day was 80,227.

                Smith earned the victory for the Colorado Rockies, pitching 7 scoreless innings.  Bottenfield took the loss for Montreal lasting 4 innings while giving up 7 runs but 5 of them earned.  

                Colorado finished their inaugural season at 67-95.  The Expos ended at 94-68, 3 games behind Philadelphia for first place.  There wasn’t a Wild Card team from each league yet.  The teams who advanced to the postseason were the ones who won their division. There were 4 divisions in 1993, American League East, American League West, National League East, and National League West.  In 1994 MLB changed the divisions to what we have today and added a Wild Card team from both leagues.

                After 1993, Colorado made their first postseason in 1995 but were beaten by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series.  The Rockies wouldn’t make the postseason until 2007 when they advanced to the World Series only to be swept by the Boston Red Sox.  Colorado earned a playoff berth in 2009, 2017, and 2018 but has yet to be back in the World Series. For today, we will remember the Colorado Rockies playing their first home game in franchise history.