RetroSimba

(Updated Jan. 22, 2019)

Todd Helton had a flawless game at the plate for the Rockies against the Cardinals, but Mike Matheny produced the most important at-bat.

On April 8, 2003, at Denver, Helton tied a major-league record by reaching base safely seven times. Helton was 4-for-4 with three walks, a double, a home run, three RBI and three runs scored against six Cardinals pitchers. His home run tied the score, 12-12, in the seventh inning, but the Cardinals won, 15-12, when Matheny countered with a three-run home run in the 13th.

Helton, a first baseman, produced 2,519 hits and 1,406 RBI in 17 seasons with the Rockies. A left-handed hitter, he had a .316 batting average and .414 on-base percentage in a big-league career from 1997 to 2013.

Against the Cardinals, Helton had a .281 batting average and .386 on-base percentage and was especially strong versus them in these five seasons:

_ 2000: Batted .400 with 12 RBI and a .543 on-base mark.

_ 2001: Batted .324 with 12 RBI. Six of his 11 hits were home runs.

_ 2003: Batted .500. With 11 hits and seven walks in 29 plate appearances, his on-base mark was .621.

_ 2004: Batted .400 and hit a home run in five of six games.

_ 2009: Batted .421. With eight hits and seven walks in 28 plate appearances, his on-base percentage was .536.

Helton’s most impressive single-game performance against the Cardinals was when he reached base safely in all seven plate appearances.

Lucky seven

Here is a look at each plate appearance:

_ First inning: RBI-single against Jason Simontacchi.

_ Second inning: Drew a walk from Simontacchi with two outs and a runner on third.

_ Fourth inning: RBI-double to left versus Lance Painter.

_ Sixth inning: Led off with a single against Jeff Fassero.

_ Seventh inning: Solo home run versus Dustin Hermanson.

_ Ninth inning: Drew a walk from Russ Springer with two outs and a runner on first.

_ Eleventh inning: Drew a walk from Jose Jimenez with one out and runners on first and third.

Video of all seven plate appearances

Helton became the first big-league player to reach base safely seven times in a game since Sean Casey of the Reds did it in a nine-inning game May 19, 1999, against the Rockies at Denver. Boxscore

“I don’t ever remember getting up seven times in a game, much less getting on seven times,” Helton said to the Denver Post.

Said Rockies hitting coach Duane Espy: “What he did I can’t explain. The guy has the unique ability to hit what is there and leave alone what’s not. He continues to amaze me. He’s the first guy who I have been around when the count is 0-and-2, I am comfortable.”

Mike’s magic

Helton was deprived of an eighth plate appearance because Cal Eldred retired the Rockies in order in the 12th and 13th innings.

Eldred earned the win, his first in the major leagues in three years, because his friend, Matheny, hit his first regular-season home run in 12 months in the top half of the 13th.

With Scott Rolen on second, Eduardo Perez on first and one out, Matheny hit a pitch from Dan Miceli deep to left. Gabe Kapler leaped and appeared to make a catch, but when he fell back against the fence the ball came out of his glove and landed in the seats. Kapler “walked away, looking puzzled at his empty glove,” the Denver Post reported. Boxscore

The home run was Matheny’s first in the regular season since April 26, 2002, at Montreal. For Eldred, who missed most of two seasons because of elbow problems, the win was his first in the major leagues since June 28, 2000.

Matheny and Eldred became friends as Brewers teammates. After Matheny joined the Cardinals, he recommended the club take a chance on Eldred.

“Those two have such a special friendship,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I don’t think you could have scripted it better.”