Tuesday occasioned a full schedule of 15 night games, headlined by the opener of a big three-game set between the Rockies and Diamondbacks in Phoenix. Let's dig right in ... 

Tuesday's scores

Arenado leads Rockies to big win

It's mid-June and the biggest series of the week -- maybe of the season (to date, anyway) -- is taking place at Coors Field. The NL West-leading Rockies are hosting the division rival D-Backs for three games. What a time to be alive.

The Rockies won Tuesday's opener thanks to the insanely clutch Nolan Arenado, who ripped a go-ahead two-run triple against Zack Greinke in the eighth inning. Here's the triple:

The MVP chants after that were loud. And they should be! Arenado has been out of his mind of late. He completed the cycle with a walk-off home run the other day, remember.

The win improved the Rockies to 47-26, which is easily the best record through 73 games in franchise history. The D-Backs are now 44-27 and two games back. (The Dodgers are still hanging around the race, too, of course.)

Seager steals Bellinger's thunder

Remember back in April when Cody Bellinger was only supposed to be up for a few days as an injury replacement? That was funny. Bellinger then socked five home runs in his first 11 MLB games. He wasn't going anywhere.

Tuesday night, the rookie smashed his NL-leading 22nd home run. It was a first-inning blast against the Mets and Bellinger's 10th home run in the last 10 days. No rookie has done that before.

And yet Bellinger was not the most impressive home run hitter in a Dodgers uniform Tuesday night. Corey Seager, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, socked three home runs. Here are all three dingers, which gave him a career-high 6 RBI:

Seager had a chance to hit a fourth home run in the sixth inning, when he came to the plate with the bases loaded. He flew out to left field, however, a few feet in front of the warning track. Seager went 4 for 5 with three home runs and a double on the night.

Springer slugs another leadoff home run

The Astros wasted no time going to work against Sonny Gray. They opened Tuesday's game with a five-run first inning against the A's right-hander, though to Gray's credit, he did settle down and keep the Astros off the board from innings 2-5.

George Springer got the scoring started with a leadoff home run against Gray. To the action footage:

The home run is Springer's 21st of the season overall and his eighth leadoff home run. He had eight leadoff homers all of last season. 

The all-time record for leadoff homers in a single season does not belong to Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, believe it or not. Alfonso Soriano hit 13 leadoff homers with the 2003 Yankees. Here are the only players in history with double-digit leadoff home runs in a single-season:

  1. Alfonso Soriano, 2002 Yankees: 13
  2. Alfonso Soriano, 2007 Cubs: 12
  3. Brady Anderson, 1996 Orioles: 12
  4. Jacque Jones, 2002 Twins: 11
  5. Bobby Bonds, 1973 Giants: 11
  6. Charlie Blackmon, 2016 Rockies: 10

Houston still has 90 games to play this season, so Springer has a very real chance to join that group, and possibly even break Soriano's record.

Judge approaching Yankees rookie record

The Yankees lost again Tuesday night, their seventh loss in a row, but it wasn't Aaron Judge's fault. The team's rookie slugger clubbed his MLB-leading 24th home run in the fifth inning. It was an opposite field shot.

Judge is very quickly approaching the franchise's single-season home run record for rookies:

Yes, even with all the great players the Yankees have had over the years, their rookie record is "only" 29 home runs by Joltin' Joe DiMaggio in 1936. Judge has a very real chance to break the record before the All-Star break.

Rizzo hits another leadoff homer

Anthony Rizzo: great leadoff hitter or greatest leadoff hitter? He moved to the leadoff spot seven games ago and he hit his third leadoff homer Tuesday night. Here's the video:

Like I said, this is Rizzo's seventh game hitting leadoff. Here's how he's started those seven games:

  • June 13: Home run
  • June 14: Home run
  • June 16: Walk (after hitting a home run replay overturned since it was foul)
  • June 17: Single
  • June 18: Double
  • June 19: Single
  • June 20: Home run

So Rizzo is now 6 for 6 with a double, three home runs, and a walk in his seven games as a leadoff hitter.

Encarnacion homers into second deck at Camden Yards

Not too many players can hit a baseball where Edwin Encarnacion hit one Tuesday. He took Chris Tillman into the second deck in left field at Camden Yards. Look at this blast:

Camden Yards is pretty good hitter's park, but you don't often see one hit in that second deck out there. The official Statcast measurement: 454 feet and 110.9 mph off the bat.

Encarnacion has been out-of-this-world hot of late:

The Orioles have been anything but hot of late. Going into Tuesday night, they allowed at least five runs in their last 16 games, which is an AL record. This is how bad things have been:

Tillman went into Tuesday's start with an 8.07 ERA and eight home runs allowed in 35 2/3 innings. Then Encarnacion took him into the second deck. At least the O's rallied to win Tuesday's game.

Joe West umps 5,000th game

Tuesday night at Coors Field, veteran umpire Joe West will umpire the 5,000th game of his career. Here is the all-time games leaderboard for umpires:

  1. Bill Klem: 5,369
  2. Bruce Froemming: 5,163
  3. Joe West: 5,000 (and counting)

West told MLB.com's Paul Hagen he would like to remain active long enough to break Klem's record, which wouldn't happen until 2020 given an annual umpire's workload. From Hagen:

"That would be fun. If my knees hold up, I'd like to do that," he said, noting that he's been told he's a candidate for knee replacement surgery. "I thought [Froemming] would pass Klem, but he didn't stick it out. At the time, that looked like an insurmountable thing. It's a big monster. When Bruce started out, they worked all season. They didn't have weeks off and replay assignments and things like that. So it's taking me a little longer to catch him. Yeah, that would be quite an accomplishment."

Cowboy Joe, 64, umpired his first game on September 16, 1976. 

Quick hits

  • MLB has reportedly informed the Cubs and Padres that Anthony Rizzo's slide into San Diego catcher Austin Hedges on Monday night was against the rules. Rizzo was not disciplined. We were split on whether Rizzo should be suspended. 
  • Yankees OF Aaron Judge says he's been invited to participate in the 2017 Home Run Derby, but he hasn't decided if he'll accept the offer. Home Run Derby contestants are typically announced in early July.
  • On Tuesday, MLB released an update on the AL All-Star fan vote. Judge remains the league's leading vote-getter. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer has taken over the lead at first base. There are close races at several positions.
  • Angels OF Mike Trout will begin hitting off a tee in the coming days, reports the Orange County Register. Trout had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb on May 31. He isn't likely to return until after the All-Star break.
  • The Red Sox have placed 3B Pablo Sandoval on the 10-day DL with an inner ear infection, the team announced. Sandoval's playing time has been drastically reduced recently. IF Josh Rutledge has taken over as the regular third baseman.
  • The Phillies have designated RHP Jeanmar Gomez and OF Michael Saunders for assignment, the team announced. Gomez saved 37 games in 2016 but was unable to repeat that success in 2017. Saunders was an All-Star in 2016 but hit .205/.257/.360 in 61 games this year.
  • The Brewers have signed RHP Tom Wilhelmsen to a minor-league contract, reports MLB.com. The veteran reliever had a 4.44 ERA in 26 1/3 innings with the Diamondbacks before being released earlier this month.
  • The Astros have activated OF Josh Reddick from the seven-day concussion DL, the team announced. OF Derek Fisher was sent down in a corresponding move. Reddick was hitting .281/.338/.443 with six homers in 59 games before the concussion.
  • The Rockies have promoted top prospect SS Brendan Rodgers to Double-A, reports Baseball America. Rodgers, the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, is hitting .400/.419/.700 with 21 doubles and 12 homers in 48 high Class A games this year.
  • Marlins top prospect LHP Braxton Garrett is undergoing Tommy John surgery, according to the Miami Herald. Garrett was the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft. He had a 2.93 ERA with 16/6 K/BB in 15 1/3 Class A innings this year.
  • Padres IF Yangervis Solarte left Tuesday's game with an oblique strain, the team announced. Solarte had been one of San Diego's hottest hitters of late. He's also a trade candidate, assuming he heals up before the July 31 deadline.
  • The Twins have agreed to a minor-league contract with RHP Dillon Gee, reports FanRag Sports. Gee was released by the Rangers over the weekend. He allowed 10 runs (six earned) in 13 innings with Texas.