The fans stood to start. Todd Helton brought down the house when his now-retired No. 17 popped up on the second deck of Coors Field’s right-center field stands Sunday.
And, after lying down through 53 sleepy outs, they jumped back up at the end.
Drew Stubbs, the Rockies’ speedy center fielder, jogged his way around the bases after slamming a two-out, game-winning, three-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Rockies a 10-9 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of a day-night double header.
“He threw me two in a row. And that one was just kind of left over the middle of the plate,” Stubbs said. “It didn’t really surprise me because I faced him the other night and he threw me a first-pitch fastball and then three (curves) in a row. So maybe they thought they had something.”
Stubbs came to bat after Reds power-arm closer Aroldis Chapman walked four consecutive batters in the ninth. Charlie Culberson, with a .189 average, walked in Nolan Arenado for an RBI.
Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco and first baseman Brayan Pena then took Chapman out of the game — they tapped their shoulders signaling to Cincinnati’s bench. Maybe they thought he was hurting. But his fastball topped out at 100 mph.
J.J. Hoover replaced him. He allowed a sacrifice fly to Wilin Rosario and got Charlie Blackmon toline out to right. Then, on a 1-0 count, Stubbs took a 76-mph curveball deep to left-center field to walk off with a win.
“It’s probably unfamiliar territory for them, with Chapman being such a lockdown closer,” Stubbs said. “He just wasn’t on top of his game today. Once we got him out of there, it makes their bullpen a little bit vulnerable when you put guys into spots they’re not used to.”
Colorado and Cincinnati played the second game — a make-up after Saturday’s game was postponed because of a broken water main at 20th and Blake streets — late Sunday night.
The visiting Reds, many of whom watched and cheered in respect of Helton’s ceremonial number-raising before the game, showed little respect for the Rockies in racing to a 9-5 lead through eight innings. The Reds’ runs seemingly matched the number of zzzzzzzzzs caught by the 42,310 fans in attendance at Coors Field.
During the late innings, before the Rockies rallied, Coors Field turned quiet enough for voices to carry. A fan on the third deck yelled out in a singular voice for a Colorado comeback.
“Whoever that rally guy was up in the upper deck — good job,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
People perked up for Blackmon’s home run in the second, when the Rockies took a 3-0 lead. They jerked alert when Arenado punched out Devin Mesoraco on a behind-the-bag jump-throw from third to first in the second inning. And fans gave Corey Dickerson his due when he launched a solo home run to center field in the seventh.
But the Reds had them tranquilized in the down time.
In the eighth inning, after Stubbs stole second and Corey Dickerson walked with the Rockies trying to rally, a fan in Coors Field’s dead-quiet first deck shouted out a misguided “Hey Toni Braxton” heckle at Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton (in reference to the R&B singer).
Broxton had a better retort. He forced Michael Cuddyer into an inning-ending double play.
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickgroke
