Two Key Things That Went Right for Rockies in Latest Win vs. Astros

The Colorado Rockies came with two major keys on Monday night,

Colorado Rockies designated hitter TJ Rumfield | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

When the Colorado Rockies first welcomed the Houston Astros to Coors Field on Monday night, it looked as though the Astros were going to leave the Rockies in the dust.

But Colorado didn't stay down for long—they were able to close the gap and place themselves on the board. The slow start and quick heat up were telling of their ability to turn things around quickly, which will suit them well down the road.

Looking at how the matchup played out, it's clear that there were a handful of things that went right for the Rockies. Narrowing these elements down to three, let's pull the curtains on the primary keys that helped Colorado stay in the game.

Massive Inning Derailed Astros

Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

In the first inning, Houston pulled ahead with two runs, followed by one in the fourth, bringing the score to 3-0. However, by the time the fifth inning rolled around, the Rockies surged ahead, bringing home a whopping eight runs.

Willi Castro and Brenton Doyle were the first players to put the ballclub on the board, soon followed by Kyle Karros, Edouard Julien, Hunter Goodman, Troy Johnston, TJ Rumfield, and Castro once again.

Strong Performances by TJ Rumfield, Troy Johnston

Colorado Rockies designated hitter TJ Rumfield | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Rumfield is navigating his first year in the Major Leagues, having only made his MLB debut on opening day. So far this season, he is slashing .344/.400/.625 with a 1.025 OPS and two homers through 10 games.

Rumfield is a 25-year-old first baseman, but despite his young age and relative lack of experience, he is quickly becoming a key piece to Colorado's puzzle.

As for Johnston, he sent a 407-foot homer to right field off a pitch tossed by Ryan Weiss. He is currently slashing .345/.367/.621 with a .988 OPS and now, he's logged his second home run of the season and his sixth of his MLB career.

Next up for Colorado will be two more matchups against Houston to finish off their three-game series at Coors Field. Following this set, the Rockies will be off to Petco Park in San Diego, Calif., where they will be hosted by the San Diego Padres.

As many expected, Colorado is currently falling behind in the National League West standings, but fortunately, the Padres aren't too far ahead. Simply put, both franchises will be challenged in the coming days, but do the Rockies have what it takes to start bagging some more wins?