VIDEO: Cubs' Bryant hits 1st career walk-off HR to beat Rockies
Kris Bryant slugged his way into Wrigley Field lore in the most dramatic way possible Monday.
The Chicago Cubs rookie capped a wild back-and-forth affair at the famed ballpark with a 402-foot blast to left-center in the ninth, securing his club a thrilling 9-8 win over the Colorado Rockies on the first walk-off homer of his career.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
Colorado had taken an 8-7 lead in the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Carlos Gonzalez, but Bryant hit the second pitch he saw from John Axford over the wall in left to give Chicago a dramatic victory and snap a three-game skid.
Bryant's 14th homer of the season - the third-most among MLB rookies - couldn't have come at a better time for the 23-year-old phenom. After an impressive three-month stretch to begin his career, Bryant entered Monday hitting just .177/.283/.380 in July.
"I believe in the baseball Gods and I believe they pay you back," said Bryant, who thought he was the victim on bad luck recently. "I guess I got one today."
- With files from The Associated Press