The Diamondbacks ' first major league game was played against the Colorado Rockies on March 31, 1998, at Bank One Ballpark before a standing-room only crowd of 50, 179.

The Rockies won, 9 – 2, with Andy Benes on the mound for the Diamondbacks, and Travis Lee being the first player to hit, score, homer and drive in a run.

Notable former Indians broadcasters include Tom Manning, Jack Graney ( the first ex-baseball player to become a play-by-play announcer ), Jack Corrigan ( now with the Colorado Rockies ), Jimmy Dudley who received the Ford Frick Award in 1997, Ken Coleman, Joe Castiglione, Van Patrick, Joe Tait, Bruce Drennan, Jim " Mudcat " Grant, Harry Jones, Rocky Colavito and Herb Score, who called Indians ' baseball for 34 seasons.

The Rockies ' first pick in the expansion draft was pitcher David Nied from the Atlanta Braves organization.

The first game in Rockies history was played on April 5, 1993, against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

One of the most memorable plays in the game, and in team history, occurred in the bottom of the first inning when 2nd baseman, Eric Young of the Rockies hit a leadoff home run.

As is the case with many expansion teams, the Rockies struggled in their first year.

On April 17, 1994, the Rockies beat Montreal 6 – 5, moving the team's record to 6 – 5 — the first time in franchise history that the club had a winning record.

) Once again, three Rockies ( Walker, Galarraga, and Castilla ) hit 40 or more homers ; Walker also won the first Gold Glove in franchise history.

On April 4, 1999, the Rockies made history as they played their Opening Day game against the defending National League champion San Diego Padres at Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico – marking the first time Major League Baseball opened the regular season outside the United States or Canada.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the injury to Walker and the trading of two of the team's most popular players, the Rockies finished third in the National League in attendance in 2000, marking the first time in club history that it did not lead the league in attendance.

Under previous general manager Gebhard, the Rockies had largely neglected their farm system and mostly relied on signing veteran free agents from other clubs ; this was possible due to the high attendance numbers in the club's first few years of attendance.

In the process, Jennings became the first Rockies player to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.

However, perhaps because of the trade of Walker and several consecutive losing seasons, the team fell all the way to fourteenth in the National League in attendance ; for the first time in team history, the Rockies drew under 2 million fans for the season.

The 2006 season started with some promise ; the Rockies were 44 – 43 in the first half of the season and were in contention in the NL West for much of the season.

With the win, the Rockies made the playoffs for the first time since 1995, and went on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.

The NLCS sweep earned the Rockies their first National League pennant in franchise history.

The Rockies became the first team ever to sweep both the division series and league championship series in the same postseason.

In the 2007 World Series, the Rockies faced the Boston Red Sox, and were swept in four games ; the first game was 13 – 1, the second game was 2 – 1, the third game was 10 – 5, and the fourth and final game was 4 – 3.

Spilborghs hit the first walk-off grand slam in Rockies history, his second career grand slam, and his first walk-off homer in the 14th inning to squeak by the Giants, 6 – 4, Monday in front of about half of the 27, 670 fans who remained at Coors Field.

After losing each of the first two games by two runs, the Rockies opened up a 5 – 2 lead against Matt Cain in the finale of the series on August 30.

But as in the previous series, San Francisco won the first two games behind Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito, cutting the Rockies Wild Card lead to 2. 5.

: San Francisco Giants first baseman-outfielder Mark Sweeney, who spent 2003 and 2004 with the Rockies, said, " You wonder if some people are going along with it just to keep their jobs.

Prior to the 1995 season, the Rockies acquired free-agent outfielder Larry Walker, previously of the Montreal Expos, who replaced Kingery as the 4th member of the " Blake Street Bombers "— named after the street on which the new ballpark ( Coors Field ) was located — along with Galarraga, Bichette, and third baseman Vinny Castilla, who had played sparingly with the major-league club during the previous season.

Rockies second baseman Clint Barmes, playing in, made a miraculous over the shoulder diving catch after a long run, and doubled off Albert Pujols, who thought the ball would drop and was nearly at third base, to end the game.

On May 24, Kazuo Matsui, former Rockies second baseman during the 2007 championship season, was resigned to the club following his unconditional release from the Houston Astros.

Andrés José Padovani Galarraga (; born June 18, 1961 ) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos (– and ), St. Louis Cardinals (), Colorado Rockies (–), Atlanta Braves (-), Texas Rangers (), San Francisco Giants ( 2001 and ) and Anaheim Angels ().

Jason Gilbert Giambi (; born January 8, 1971 ) is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.

Vinicio " Vinny " Castilla Soria (; born July 4, 1967 in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico ) is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves.

Todd Lynn Helton ( born August 20, 1973 ) is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies.

He is the younger brother of Colorado Rockies first baseman Jason Giambi.

Carney Ray Lansford ( born February 7, 1957 ) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball and the current hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies.

Ronald Edwin " Ron " Gant ( born March 2, 1965, in Victoria, Texas ) is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves ( 1987 – 1993 ), Cincinnati Reds ( 1995 ), St. Louis Cardinals ( 1996 – 1998 ), Philadelphia Phillies ( 1999 – 2000 ), Anaheim Angels ( 2000 ), Colorado Rockies ( 2001 ), Oakland Athletics ( 2001 ), San Diego Padres ( 2002 ), and again the Athletics briefly in 2003.

Michael Brent Cuddyer (; born March 27, 1979 ) is an American professional Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman currently playing for the Colorado Rockies.

# Andrés Galarraga: 176 ( Colorado Rockies 1997 )

However, outfielder Ellis Burks picked up the slack with an All-Star season, batting. 344 with 40 homers and 128 RBI — one of three Rockies to hit forty or more homers that season, along with Galarraga and Castilla.

The Rockies were broken up after the 1997 season when an aging Galarraga signed with the Atlanta Braves as a free agent.

* First Foul Popfly: Andres Galarraga ( Rockies ), fielded by Jeff Kent

* First Triple: April 27, 1995, Andres Galarraga ( Rockies )

When Baylor became the first Rockies manager in the off-season, he recommended that Colorado take a chance on Galarraga and sign him as a free agent.

Galarraga with the Rockies in 1996

On August 29 of the same season, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Galarraga spoiled Paul Wagner's bid for a no-hitter by singling with two out in the ninth, the only hit Wagner would allow in defeating the Rockies 4 – 0.

While with the Rockies, Burks was part of the formidable Blake Street Bombers that included the likes of Andres Galarraga, Dante Bichette, Larry Walker, and Vinny Castilla.