DENVER -- -- Trivia question stunned Bud Black: Who was the opposing team's center fielder when he scored his first win as a major league manager in 2007?
Answer: None other than good friend and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
"I didn't know that," said Black.
Understood. He had won long ago.
cj Cron drilled a two-run homer in the afternoon when strong wind made the flyball an adventure, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-4 on Sunday to give Black their 1,000th win as bench boss.
Black became the 66th captain to reach this milestone. He improved to 351-360 with Colorado after going 649-713 with San Diego from 2007–15.
His first managerial win was with the Padres on April 3, 2007, against the San Francisco Giants, with Roberts at the center.
"I love math," Black said of his big moment. "It's a round number."
In typical black fashion, however, he turned his attention to his team. The lefty liked to talk about Ty Bloch and his four-inning saves as his first major league appearance since September 2019.
Or how the Rockies took two of three for their first home series win over the Dodgers since August 9-12, 2018.
So his players spoke for him - of course in celebration after Black dunked him in suds.
"It's special. It's a lot of victories. You don't just magically wake up with 1,000 wins one day," Krone said. "It explains all the hard work they put in. He is a players manager. We all love playing for him."
This victory was far from the wind. A gust of 40 mph wind sent napkins and hot-dog wrappers flying off the stands at Coors Field.
The Rockies took a 6–0 lead after the third inning, but no lead was safe due to windy conditions. The Dodgers cut it 6-4 after left fielder Kris Bryant dropped Freddie Freeman's fly for a three-run error.
This was not the only accident on the left, as Chris Taylor fouled Ryan McMahon's deep drive first, scoring two runs. Originally ruled a two-run double for McMahon, the official scorer converted it into an error.
"It was one of those balls I was hoping to slice, and it didn't really slice," Taylor explained. "It stayed on me the whole time and then it hit a wall and I tried to brake and get in. But it died on me."
Elias Diaz added some insurance to make it 9-4 with a two-run homer in the seventh.
"It was hard to kill because the wind was coming in your eyes and you started crying," Diaz said.
Diaz and Cron find a way to go deeper.
"Two line drives. That's why," Diaz explained. "If you (hit it in the air), no chance."
Jhoulys ChacÃn won by throwing 1 2/3 innings and striking in three. Blatch took it home from there. A Denver native, Bloch considered pitching for Colorado a "lifelong dream."
"It's one of the most wonderful things that's ever happened to me," said Blatch, whose parents and other family members were in attendance. "The biggest thing was being able to enjoy the moment."
Both starters had problems with fog conditions. Dodgers lefty Julio Uriás (0-1) conceded six runs in two innings, earning three. Rockies right Antonio Senzatella scored four runs in 3 1/3 innings, earning one.
It wasn't the start they were looking for either – Urias was coming off a 20-win season, while Senzatella signed a five-year contract in October.
"Weird day from the beginning, with the wind, whatever was going on," Yuris said through a translator. "Physically, I felt great, but it was a weird day."
Instructor room
Rockies: 1B Connor Joe was hit on the right hand with a pitch from Mitch White in the fourth, but remained in the game. ... Black could not provide a timeline on the return for LHP Lucas Gilbreth and RHP Robert Stephenson, who are both on the COVID-19 injured list. "Anywhere from one to 365 days," Black said. "I hope it's fast."
Extended guideline
Dodgers shortstop Tree Turner sang in the first song and extended her hitting streak to last year's 22 regular-season games.
Influential people
Black said there are a lot of baseball people who have influenced him and shaped his managerial style. He referred managers such as Roger Craig, Mike Scioccia and Dusty Baker, along with front-office personnel such as Al Rosen and John Hart.
Next
Dodgers: Closed on Monday before starting the two-match series in Minnesota. LHP Andrew Heaney is scheduled to pitch for Los Angeles.
Rockies: LHP Austin takes the gomber mound when Colorado opens a two-match series in Texas on Monday.