Major League Baseball

Bichette returns on 15 years after historic homer

Published Apr. 27, 2010 2:19 a.m. ET

foxsports

Former Colorado Rockies All-Star Dante Bichette returned to Coors Field on Monday on the 15th anniversary of his game-winning home run on Opening Day 1995.

Bichette, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game to former teammate Larry Walker, was an original member of the Rockies organization and made four All-Star Game appearances during his seven-plus seasons with the team. He hit the first home in franchise history, April 7, 1993, in New York against the Mets.

His most memorable home run came against the Mets two years later. Bichette hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 14th inning in the first game played at Coors Field.

``Every opening day I get two or three calls because ESPN or somebody will show it on TV,'' Bichette said. ``It comes up a lot.''

From 1995-99 Bichette averaged 28 home runs and 118 RBI. In 1995, when the Rockies won the wild card, he hit .340 with 40 home runs and 128 RBIs and finished second in MVP voting to Cincinnati's Barry Larkin.

In 1996 he and Ellis Burks became the first players in franchise history with 30-homer, 30-steal seasons, and on June 10, 1998, against Texas, Bichette became the first player in franchise history to hit for the cycle.

Bichette hit .316 with 201 home runs and 826 RBI in 1,018 games for Colorado. The Rockies traded him to the Reds after the 1999 season, and he finished up his major league career with Boston in 2001.

Bichette hit .299 with 274 home runs and 1,114 RBIs in 14 major league seasons.