DENVER – Ryan McMahon had the pressure of an organization on his shoulders when he stepped to the plate Friday at Coors Field.

Colorado Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt and manager Bud Black voiced their high expectations for the veteran before the year, and also their faith in him to reach them.

He moved closer to the expectations in a 10-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field. A first-pitch sweeper from Jason Adam greeted him with the bases loaded and one out, and he promptly deposited the pitch into the right-field seats above the out-of-town scoreboard.

The home run ignited a crowd of 48,399 inside the ballpark, with even more cheers coming outside Coors Field in McGregor Square. The walk-off grand slam was the third in franchise history and the first since Charlie Blackmon’s in a 2020 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

When the ball touched his bat, he knew it would fly.

“I was just trying to hunt the middle of the plate,” McMahon said. “I knew it was gone, that one felt good.”

A half inning earlier, he was liable for what seemed to be a loss in the box score.

McMahon, the Rockies third baseman, made a sliding play on a 99-mile-per-hour grounder off the Rays’ Jose Siri’s bat. He popped up and fired a ball holding the seams wrong to first base — a sinker as he referred to it — and Kris Bryant was unable to handle the one-hop throw that came from deep down the third-base line.

Then grape Gatorade that cascaded him at home plate washed away memories of last season. Once the team dealt away the bulk of its veterans, he began to put added pressure on himself to make up the difference.

A more direct swing, and approach, paid off.

“My goal is just don’t give away at-bats,” McMahon said. “I feel like last year I gave away a lot of at-bats — getting too big and missing pitches early. My goal is to go up for one at-bat, take one swing and hit the ball hard.”

The veteran’s push has led him to be a part of the team’s leaders. Charlie Blackmon is the longest-tenured and holds the ultimate mantle. But McMahon isn’t far behind, and he and Kyle Freeland form a younger duo that has ridden the Coors Field roller coaster.

Emotions were similarly up and down on Friday.

Colorado failed to score first for the 14th consecutive game. Ezequiel Tovar’s two-run home run turned the tide before Justin Lawrence allowed five runs — four earned — in the ninth inning to give the lead back.

Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks carried a 2.58 earned run average and posted 25 saves in 2023. He entered the one-run game and proceeded to issue three walks to load the bases for Kris Bryant — a player who dealt with boos throughout the game outside of his home run.

A strikeout from Bryant set the stage for McMahon to make his leadership case. And he did.

“He’s taken it to another level of taking some leadership,” Black said.

Colorado needs it after a rough start.

The Rockies had the league’s worst run differential entering Friday’s win and a 1-6 record to match.

An off day, and energy from a sold-out crowd, served as a reset for the club, even if it couldn’t erase the errors, strikeouts and poor pitching outings that led to this point.

“I’ve been through those stretches before,” Black said. “It was hard because you want to get off to a good start.

“You sort of expected that some crazy things can happen.”

Rockies 10, Rays 7

What happened: The Rockies blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning after coming back earlier in the game. McMahon’s walk-off grand slam ensured it wouldn’t go to waste.

On the mound: Justin Lawrence appeared for the second time in 2024 and blew a 6-2, ninth-inning lead. He allowed four earned runs on five hits and registered one out. The clinching run was unearned after an error enabled it. Austin Gomber struggled with command and needed 41 pitches to get through the first inning. His day finished after four innings in which he allowed a pair of earned runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out seven. Peter Lambert threw a pair of scoreless innings before Jake Bird and Nick Mears had a clean frame apiece.

At the plate: McMahon hit a walk-off grand slam as part of a two-hit day. Tovar hit his second home run of the year to drive in McMahon who doubled earlier in the inning. Kris Bryant hit his first home run in the eighth inning off the left-field charity mitt after being booed earlier in the game. Nolan Jones had two hits and drove in a run with his first-inning double. Brendan Rodgers doubled before him and came in on the hit. Colorado combined for 12 hits and nine strikeouts.

What’s next: Tampa Bay Rays (LHP Tyler Alexander, 0-0) at Colorado Rockies (RHP Ryan Feltner, 0-1) at 6:10 p.m. on Saturday at Coors Field (Rockies.TV).