Welker rediscovers groove for Grand Junction

Colton Welker started his professional career with an 11-game hitting streak that saw him go 17-for-44 with eight RBIs while slashing .386/.431/.500.

The Rockies' fourth-round pick in last month's Draft entered Saturday's game in a 5-for-34 funk over his last nine games, including a 0-for-10 mark in his last three contests.

The 18-year-old third baseman sees beauty in the struggle.

"You know, baseball is a game of failure and, hopefully, I'm going to play a long career," Welker said. "There's going to be times when you struggle. I think the people that can get through that and stave off adversity, those are the guys that make it to the next level, get to the big leagues and have success. There's beauty in a struggle, for sure, and I think that can really bring the best out of you."

Welker found his stride Saturday, going 3-for-5 with a career-high six runs and falling a triple shy of the cycle in Rookie-level Grand Junction's 9-2 romp over Billings at Sam Suplizio Field.

"I was struggling and had a few bad games here and there," he said. "I try to come to the ballpark every day confident. I know [my coaches] have helped me tremendously and the early work has been awesome. Just the mental side of hitting, they've helped me with and helped me develop, for sure."

The Florida native got going with his first professional homer, a two-run shot to center field in the first inning. He bounced out to end the third, then picked up two more RBIs with a single to right in the fifth.

"Billings has a great staff over there with a lot of hard-throwing guys, which means usually they try to get ahead with the fastball," Welker said. "So in my first at-bat, when I hit the home run, I just got my foot down and tried to stay relaxed. I pretty much knew he was going to come with the fastball and, sure enough, he did and I put a good swing on it."

Welker drove a two-run double to left in the sixth before striking out in his final at-bat in the eighth.

"I saw a little more off-speed pitches [in the at-bats after the homer]," Welker said. "I stayed within my approach. Every day, during batting practice and in the cage, we practice live at-bats, working with two strikes, staying confident in every count and just battling hard."

In the nine games in which he struggled prior to Saturday, Welker saw his average fall just over 100 points to .282. He said it's important to stay at an even keel to maintain consistency at the plate.

"I definitely don't [need to] get too high or too low and I need to stay working every day with the hitting guys on the mental side of the game, just staying within myself and my abilities," he said.

Vince Fernandez, a 10th-round pick last month, chipped in two hits and scored three times for Grand Junction. He delivered a two-run single to open a five-run sixth inning.

Rockies starter Bryan Baker (1-1), selected one round after Fernandez, gave up two runs on four hits while striking out six over five innings for the win. J.D. Hammer and Ryan Luna each tossed a pair of scoreless frames.

Billings starter Ian Kahaloa (1-1) gave up four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 4 1/3 frames. Andy Cox came on in the sixth and surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on four hits and a walk without recording an out.