To Report Scores: ■ Call Sports Editor Joel Reichenberger at 970-871-4253 during the day.
SPORTS & OUTDOORS Steamboat Today • Thursday, June 29, 2017
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Hwang HRs in debut; Giants win 5-3 against Rockies Gideon Rubin
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO
The most unique sporting event in the next week is surely the ski jump-
Jae-Gyun Hwang stepped out of his comfort zone and into a beer shower. The native South Korean left behind lucrative contract offers to pursue a lifelong dream of playing baseball in the majors. Hwang homered in his major league debut, a tiebreaking drive in the sixth inning that led the San Francisco Giants over Colorado 5-3 on Wednesday and extended the Rockies’ losing streak to a season-high eight games. And then after the game, he got soaked. “There’s not such a thing in Korea, but I’ve gotten to know there is such a thing, personally, just a few minutes ago,” Hwang said through a translator. “I was actually more surprised about how cold the beer was.” A 29-year-old who starred for South Korea’s Lotte Giants, Hwang was brought up from Triple-A Sacramento before the game and inserted into the starting lineup at third base, batting fifth. He grounded out in the second inning, hit a run-scoring grounder in the fourth that cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1, then broke a 3-3 tie when he homered against Kyle Freeland (8-6). Hwang was given a standing ovation from fans as he rounded the bases and was mobbed by teammates when he got back to the dugout. He took a called third strike in the eighth, completing a 1-for-4 day. “He plays with a lot of emotion, he’s got a lot of fire in him and that’s what you love about him,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s a clutch hitter, you look at what he’s done as far as his body of work in Korea and he’s been a big RBI guy, so those guys do have a way of stepping up in the moment.” Ty Blach (5-5) gave up three runs — one earned — seven hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings. George Kontos, Steven Okert and Hunter Stickland combined for one-hit relief. Strickland retired Ian Desmond, his only batter,
See Sports, page 16
See Rockies, page 16
BEN INGERSOLL/COURTESY
Runners in the Mountain Madness 10K were treated to sunrise views along the Yampa River.
Ramps, runners, rodeos Brimming sports weekend on tap in Steamboat Springs Joel Reichenberger STEAMBOAT TODAY
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
There are so many rodeos, so many opportunities for cowboys and cowgirls to win money, they call early July Cowboy Christmas. The ropers and riders will certainly have the opportunity to cash in during the next week in Steamboat Springs, with five separate nights of rodeo — four of the pro variety and one ranch rodeo. Following that same idea, the next week will be a sort of Sports Christmas for those looking for good times outdoors, the high tide of the summer season through the Yampa River Valley.
Running it out The longest challenge any one athlete will face in the next seven days is the Steamboat Springs Running Series’ Mountain Madness halfmarathon, set to begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday in downtown Steamboat Springs. The race features a 13.1-mile half marathon, 10-kilometer version, and, this summer for the first time, a 300meter fun run for children. The big races start at 7:30 a.m. with the fun
run scheduled for 10 a.m. The race starts near Howelsen Ice Arena on River Road in downtown, then follows the road and the Yampa River southeast of Steamboat. The half-marathon course will loop around the Dakota Ridge development, then return, while the 10K is a straight out-and-back trip. Registration remains open online through today at runningseries. com. Packet pick-up will take place between 3 to 6 p.m. Friday at Twisted Trails Running Company in downtown Steamboat. Registration will also be available on site before the race. The event will cost $40 for the half-marathon and $35 for the 10K. Runners can save $10 on either race by foregoing the “frills,” such as a race T-shirt. Race director Katie Black said this year’s event will benefit Northwest Colorado Health.
Riding up There’s no more persistent sporting event this weekend than the rodeo, with its five different performances divided into three total competitions. The Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo series returns first at 7:30 p.m. Fri-
day, then again — same time, same place — Saturday, as it always does. That wraps up one two-performance rodeo event. Then at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, cowboys of a different sort will get their chances in a ranch rodeo. Teams of three to six riders will tackle a series of ranch competitions, ranging from riding a bronc to milking and branding a cow. (Don’t worry. The milking and branding don’t happen at the same time.) Finally, the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo series returns for a second two-day performance, riding Monday and Tuesday nights. Monday’s performance starts at 7:30 p.m., while Tuesday’s is at 6:30 p.m. to accommodate the Fourth of July fireworks that will follow. Tickets for Tuesday’s rodeo, a frequent sell out, cost $25 for adults and $15 for children. Every other performance runs $20 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets are available online at steamboatprorodeo.com.
Flying high