Rockies hit jackpot with 23 runs in steamy Vegas as A's finish wild stretch in future home

LAS VEGAS (AP) — All those home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field, and the Colorado Rockies never rang up the scoreboard the way they did Sunday in steamy Las Vegas.

If this is what big league baseball looks like in Sin City, pitchers might run for cover in a couple of years under every craps table in town.

Willi Castro had seven RBIs, Hunter Goodman got a career-high five hits and the Rockies set a franchise record for runs with a 23-9 victory over the Athletics on a 101-degree afternoon at Las Vegas Ballpark.

“You’ve just got to make contact and the ball’s gonna go,” Goodman said.

Castro and Goodman each hit two of Colorado’s six homers. Troy Johnston and TJ Rumfield also went deep for the last-place Rockies (27-45), who ended a three-game losing streak.

Scheduled to move to Las Vegas full time in 2028, the A's got a taste of the city this week with a six-game homestand against Milwaukee and Colorado at the site of their top minor league affiliate.

The teams involved combined to score 102 runs in a stretch that began with a wild slugfest last Monday night, when the Brewers outlasted the Athletics 15-14 in a 12-inning game that featured 11 homers and 34 hits.

Colorado's lineup provided an exclamation point Sunday, but Goodman is going to reserve judgment about major league baseball in Vegas.

Because while the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators of the Pacific Coast League play outdoors, the A's are gearing up to move into a new $2 billion stadium under construction on The Strip. That building will be enclosed.

“I’ll be curious to see how it plays,” Goodman said. “I think time will tell. With it being indoors, I don’t know if it will play the same or not. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer has participated in plenty of games similar to Sunday’s series finale, especially at Triple-A Albuquerque.

“This is a very, very tough environment to play baseball,” he said. “As you saw, obviously the ball flies in the thin air, the heat and the sun. It’s just a hard place to play.”

Castro finished with four hits, including a grand slam off Scott Barlow in the eighth inning. Goodman drove in four runs and Kyle Karros also had four hits as the Rockies piled up 24 in all — one shy of the team mark established against Houston on Sept. 25, 2011.

Max Muncy and Tyler Soderstrom homered for the A’s (35-36), who had won four straight. Lawrence Butler got three hits and Zack Gelof extended his hitting streak to 18 games.

Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4) got the win despite giving up eight runs and nine hits in five innings. Eiberson Castellano tossed three scoreless innings to earn a save in his major league debut.

Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs (3-7) allowed eight runs — six earned — and seven hits in four innings.

Colorado scored six times in the fifth to build a 14-6 lead. Goodman homered to begin an outburst capped by Tyler Freeman’s run-scoring triple.

A’s right fielder Carlos Cortes moved to the mound in the eighth and was their most effective pitcher, yielding one run and three hits in the final 1 2/3 innings.

The Athletics went 4-2 on their Las Vegas homestand, winning a pair of three-game series. They return Monday to their regular temporary home in West Sacramento, California, for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Athletics' TJ Rumfield reacts after hitting an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Willi Castro (3), center, is greeted by teammates after hitting a grand slam during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Troy Johnston reacts after hitting a two run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Willi Castro (3) is greeted by teammates after hitting a grand slam during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Kyle Karros (12) runs home to score on a sacrifice fly by Braxton Fulford (37) during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper, who faces a felony strangulation charge in a trial set for next spring, said Wednesday that he's committed to improving himself and appreciates the team not giving up on him following his domestic violence arrests last summer.

“First off, I just want to say I’m so thankful for my teammates and this organization. I give all glory to God. It belongs to him,” Cooper said before a gathering of reporters at his locker. “I put a lot of work in this offseason on myself and for my family and for this team and I’m just really excited to be back and really excited to get to work.”

Cooper practiced Wednesday for the first time following his removal from the commissioner's exempt list late last week. He was sidelined for the first six games of the season and is eligible to play in the Broncos’ next game at Arizona on Sunday.

The NFL's review of Cooper’s conduct for potential violation of its personal conduct policy after a pair of domestic violence arrests in June remains ongoing and is unaffected by Cooper’s status change.

Cooper faces numerous charges, including one of felony strangulation of his then-girlfriend. His trial has been scheduled for March 2-4.

Cooper was held out of the team's mandatory minicamp following his arrests, but he participated in training camp and played in the preseason after spending several weeks in voluntary therapy.

He said he never feared the Broncos would cut ties with him.

“No, no, obviously matters are serious and you need to handle things as a grown man and responsibility is in order, you've got to hold yourself accountable,” Cooper said. “But with this organization and myself, definitely holding myself accountable for just everything and I owe it to my teammates a lot for just being here and just really thankful to be back. And thankful that they didn't give up on me.”

“Yeah, just a lot of work when it comes to just ... making sure I'm the best ‘Coop’ I can be for my family, my teammates," he said. “You know, I represent more than just myself. So, that work transcends far beyond me just putting in stuff on the field or anything like that but mentally and physically.

“The work doesn't stop now," he added.

Cooper, who’s making $12 million this season, had been allowed to attend meetings and work out at team headquarters, but was ineligible to practice during his time on the exempt list. He resumed practicing under a one-week roster exemption Wednesday.

Cooper said he's ready to return when the Broncos (4-2) face the Cardinals (2-4).

“Whatever my coaches and whatever my team needs of me, they're going to get 100% of me,” he said. “They're going to get the best version of me. I owe it to this team. I owe it to my family and the fans, everybody who you know has spoken my name. I owe it to them to show the type of person and player I am.”

Cooper, 28, was arrested on June 4 following an argument and physical confrontation with his then-girlfriend that eventually resulted in a felony charge of strangulation. He was arrested again a week later after violating a protection order by trying to contact the woman, according to the arrest affidavit.

Out of respect to the legal process, Cooper declined to address the conversations he had with the Broncos following his arrests.

Asked what he'd say to fans who might be hesitant to support him given the charges he's facing, Cooper said: “Honestly, that's hard. I feel like you know relationships are difficult — no excuses on my end — And I just want to say I understand the concern. I understand the level of awareness, how serious these matters are."

“But the legal matters will take care of themselves. And yeah, things happen, you know nobody's perfect. But also, there's no excuses and I do hold myself accountable.”

If Cooper is ultimately suspended by the league, his six-week absence would essentially be time already served up to six games. But he would have to repay any game checks he received while on the exempt list because suspended players can’t be paid. If any suspension exceeds six games, he’d have to miss more games.

Cooper’s replacement in the starting lineup, Jonah Ellis, sustained a serious ankle injury late in Denver's 17-14 win over the Seattle Seahawks last week. He was seen on crutches and in a walking boot on the sideline Saturday at the Utah-Colorado game in Boulder. Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday it's not a season-ending injury.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

FILE - Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper looks on during a preseason NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Aug. 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)