DENVER — There were heaters in the dugouts, players wearing ski masks and pitchers sporting jackets on base.

The Rockies though, unlike the weather, were finally able to heat up. The temperature was listed as 28 degrees on the scoreboard, but the Rockies had a spark in them as they defeated the Astros 6-2.

The team has been patiently waiting for its veterans Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story to kick it up a few degrees. On Tuesday, they finally got some productivity from both of them. 

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Blackmon’s batting average was .191 heading into the game Tuesday, compared to .303 for his career, and he had just nine hits and one home run. Blackmon, who said he is accustomed to slow starts, said he doesn’t feel locked in yet, but that he thinks he’s “pretty close” to being in top form.

“I’m going through my processes,” he said before the game. “It’s just a matter of time before things go really well for me personally, I believe.”

Story is faring slightly better at the plate, but he’s yet to hit it out of the park this season. He’s on a 27-game homerless streak dating to Sept. 17, 2020, the longest of his career. Based on his batted ball profile, Story’s expected number of home runs for this point of the season is 5.4, according to BaseballSavant.

On Thursday, Story and Blackmon, who hit right after each other in the lineup, each got on base. In the sixth inning Story had a single, and Blackmon was hit by a pitch. The latter was originally called a wild pitch, and Blackmon was already in the dugout, presumably getting warm, when the challenge was completed.

“The trick is now we have to continue with nights like that out of the middle of our order,” manager Bud Black said. 

CJ Cron hit a RBI double to center field to send home Story and Blackmon to give the Rockies a 2-1 lead. Dom Núñez hit a home run in the seventh inning to extend the lead to 3-1. The estimated distance was 431 feet. 

Cron continued his hot day in the eighth inning, hitting a three-run home run, his first of the season. He had five RBIs on Tuesday. 

“They say the first one is always the hardest, and I agree with that,” Cron said. “Hopefully it sparks something and we can string together more complete games.”

Jon Gray took to the mound, putting together another solid start. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run with six strikeouts. Gray said he kept hand warmers with him and spent every half inning in the tunnel, where it was a little bit warmer. He said he only lost his grip on a few pitches. 

Austin Gomber will start on Wednesday for the last day of the two-game series against the Astros. 

“I think overall it was something we can for sure build off,” Cron said. “It was a cold one, so it was nice to get out of there with a win.”