Rockies' Rodgers homers on five-hit night

Don't be fooled by Brendan Rodgers' debut. It's taken some time for him to transition to the professional ranks. But after some early growing pains, he feels like he's found his feet in the Minors. 

The 2015 third overall pick went 5-for-6 with a homer, four runs and three RBIs scored Sunday afternoon to lead Rookie-level Grand Junction to a 16-3 shellacking of Billings at Suplizio Field. With only eight games under his belt, the 18-year-old shortstop, who served as designated hitter Sunday, trumped his four-hit debut night on June 25.

Rodgers' first four hits were all singles, three to center field and one to right -- he collected base hits in the first, third, fourth and sixth. His RBI base hit in the third was part of a seven-run frame that gave the Rockies an early 9-0 lead. The right-handed slugger's final hit of the night was a two-run homer -- his second as a professional -- to right-center in the seventh off Mustangs right-handed reliever Austin Orewiler.

"I was just seeing the ball really well all day," Rodgers said. "My first at-bat was one of my harder-hit balls of the day, so that was a good start. Then I got a little behind in other counts and had to work to get the other hits. My homer, he just hung his changeup [on a 1-1 count] and I drove it back the way it was pitched."

After going 4-for-6 in his debut, the Florida native was just 2-for-18 (.111) with nine strikeouts in his next six games.

Rodgers hadn't played in game action since April with Lake Mary High School, so by the time he suited up for Grand Junction, he hadn't played in a regular game for two months. But after being taken by the Rockies with the third overall pick and signing for $5.5 million, expectations got heavier. The multi-tooled shortstop, however, remained realistic.

"I would think the time off affected me a lot," he said. "Not seeing a live arm in months, that's now what I'm used to. I'm used to playing all year-round, every weekend, whatever it is. That was a factor definitely. But hopefully, it's behind me now."

While five- and four-hit games are unrealistic norms, MLB com's top Draft prospect just hopes Sunday's outing will turn into the start of his first hot streak.

"I was just trying to get my timing back really," Rodgers said. "I wasn't really seeing the ball well. Pitching, the shadows of the stadium, all of that had a factor. But before the game, I was feeling a little more comfortable, and hopefully I keep hitting the ball like I did today. We'll see how things go."

Center fielder Daniel Suero went 4-for-6 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored from the top of the Rockies lineup. Grand Junction combined for 19 hits and seven walks in the rout.