DENVER -- It had been a long time since the Rockies¡¯ C.J. Cron hit a ball a long way, but he hit one Friday night that made the Coors Field long-ball history list.

Cron¡¯s two-run first-inning homer -- his first to the opposite field in right this season -- ended a 50 at-bat homer drought. The return of the homer was a welcome development in the Rockies¡¯ 10-4 victory over the Padres at Coors Field.

? Longest Coors Field moonshots

Cron¡¯s second homer ¨C both were off Padres rookie lefty MacKenzie Gore, who has dominated everyone but the Rockies -- practically brought rain on a hot evening. The fifth-inning, two-run homer went 486 feet, which is the second-longest homer in the Majors this year and tied for the sixth-longest in Coors Field history.

¡°That one felt good ¡­ yeah,¡± the understated Cron understated.

The longest MLB homer this season also was hit at Coors -- 496 feet by the Marlins¡¯ Jes¨²s S¨¢nchez on May 30.

The Rockies, who managed just one homer while being swept in three close games by the Guardians before the Padres came to town, also got a three-run homer from Randal Grichuk, who had gone 90 at-bats without going deep.

Before Cron¡¯s first-inning homer, Charlie Blackmon launched his 54th career triple, which drove in a run and moved him past Dexter Fowler and atop the club¡¯s career triples list. The offensive display helped starter Kyle Freeland, who went seven innings and gave up four runs -- all in the fifth inning.

Cron, who had a five-RBI night while improving his team-high homer total to 16, greets his long drives with a smile and modesty. But his role in the middle of the order, he addresses with pride.

¡°I hit in the middle of the order,¡± Cron said. ¡°I always want to succeed in big situations. That¡¯s kind of my job, to drive in runners. And when I go through a lull of not doing that, it¡¯s definitely frustrating. Tonight to get some RBIs in the middle, in the four-hole, I pride myself on that. Hopefully, I can keep going."

Between the homers, Cron drove one to the deepest part of left-center -- 409 feet for an out.

It was a big night for Cron, who has been gradually climbing out of a slump where he was chasing pitches just out of his hot zone.

Gore, who has given up 14 runs in 6 1/3 innings to the Rockies in his last two starts after holding all other opponents to eight runs in 48 innings, didn¡¯t miss Cron¡¯s power spot Friday.

¡°Especially after what we saw the second half of last year and what he¡¯s doing this year, there¡¯s always a belief that he¡¯s going to do something great,¡± Rockies manager Bud Black said of Cron. ¡°He¡¯s in a real good spot mentally. He¡¯s confident. He¡¯s comfortable.

¡°He¡¯s been pitched tough. In some ways, I think he feels as though he has to do a little bit more because around him at times we¡¯ve scuffled. That¡¯s something we¡¯ve talked about -- if they¡¯re going to pitch around you, take a walk. When guys are on base, it helps.¡±

Earlier this week, Cron predicted: ¡°It¡¯s going to come, I¡¯m confident in that. Once it comes, it¡¯s going to stay for quite a while.¡±

Cron¡¯s power display came as the Rockies set a target for Bryant return from a back strain. Limited to 17 games this season, Bryant hit off live pitching Friday at Coors Field. Black said the Rockies have pinpointed next weekend¡¯s road set against the Twins for the slugger¡¯s return.

Cron doesn¡¯t want to wait until then to bust fences, but he said he will be happy to have another big bat. The lack of power is a key reason the Rockies went from five games above .500 when Bryant went to the injured list the first time to their current nine games below even.

¡°Hopefully, when K.B. comes back and we get some guys going, we can start really driving the ball and putting some runs up,¡± Cron said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve done a very good job of that this year. Our offense has been fine statistically, but we can do a lot better as a group.¡±