Tanner Gordon showed Rockies manager Bud Black and company what he could provide a club in real time, and proved the staff’s scouting report from the minors right.

He started Wednesday’s 7-5 win over Arizona at Salt River Fields and worked a flawless outing before multiple pitchers did the same in relief. Colorado moved to 12-6 with the win and has won four in a row.

Ahead are takeaways from the latest one.

Tanner Gordon made a spotless first impression

Colorado didn’t highlight Tanner Gordon when it traded Pierce Johnson to Atlanta, the focus shifted immediately to Victor Vodnik’s inclusion. The former got his first chance to shine Wednesday with the major-league roster.

The right-handed starter went two scoreless innings and struck out a pair, each on a cutter. Black also said the club has liked what he has shown in minor-league camp, but that Wednesday’s chance to see him live was especially positive. 

“We all liked what we saw,” Black said. “That looked good, that was encouraging.”

Gordon went 140 innings across four minor-league teams, and two organizations, in 2023 and carried a 5.53 earned run average in the 27 appearances (26 starts). More intriguingly, he had a 4.31 ERA with Triple-Albuquerque — a notoriously hitter-friendly minor-league park, and league.

He had been with Atlanta since 2019 before being acquired, and given a new chance with Colorado.

“It was really nice, it was a new start, a new beginning,” Gordon said. “I think it was pretty refreshing to go to new (organizations), meet new people, meet new teammates; it helped clear my head a lot.”

Jaden Hill stumbled but picked up a valuable lesson too 

Jaden Hill earned a hold in the scorebook but faced his first big stumble of spring training.

The Diamondbacks bit him for five runs, four earned, in the right-hander’s attempt to go multiple innings. He only registered three outs total before being pulled in the sixth inning for Ty Blach.

“No matter how hard you throw, you have to get it in a good spot, these are major-league hitters,” Black said. “Too many balls up and out over the plate.

“That was good for him. Every time you go out in a game, you learn something. He’ll learn from this.”

Hill has allowed runs in two of his last three outings after a pair of scoreless appearances to start spring training. He is still progressing after switching to a relief role in the Arizona Fall League. 

Benny Montgomery took lift off for the first time in spring

Benny Montgomery didn’t get his chance until late in the win but took advantage of it when he did.

The outfielder hit a ninth-inning home run, his first hit of spring training, 407 feet to add insurance for the Rockies. He hit 10 in 109 games with High-A Spokane in 2023.

Scouting reports for Montgomery highlight his speed on the bases, and ability in the outfield as lead traits. The Rockies took him eighth overall in the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school, so there is still work to be done in his game.

Montgomery living up to, and exceeding his 55 hit grade would likely create an intriguing new star for the organization.

Brendan Rodgers is heating up early in spring

Brendan Rodgers just keeps hitting, and the usual slow starter may be getting a jump on his breakout in 2024.

He had a pair of singles Wednesday and has a hit in nine of the 11 spring training games he has played. It was his fourth multi-hit effort since the calendar turned to May, too.

The second baseman has yet to homer, which is also usually a feature of his early-season woes. He is hitting the ball hard, though, and looks to be ready to move on from an injury-shortened 2023 campaign.

Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 5

What happened: The Rockies scored five runs in the final four innings of Wednesday’s win over Arizona. The final notch came on Benny Montgomery’s first home run of the spring in the ninth inning.

On the mound: Carson Palmquist was sent away from the major-league club but made his return with two scoreless innings. He struck out three. Seth Halvorsen, Matt Koch and Dugan Darnell combined to pitch the last three innings without allowing a run.

At the plate: Nolan Jones walked and drove in a run with his seventh-inning triple. Ryan McMahon brought his spring average to .367 with a double. Colorado finished with eight strikeouts and three walks.

What’s next: Colorado Rockies (RHP Peter Lambert, 1-0) at Cleveland Guardians (LHP Logan Allen, 0-1) at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.