DENVER • Elehuris Montero didn’t have any indication that he was going to be a part of the Nolan Arenado trade in early 2021.

He didn’t hear the rumors, and didn’t know what was happening. After the emotion passed, Montero re-set. He was the biggest prospect in one of the most controversial trades in Colorado Rockies history. But he found himself with an opportunity and, lately, has taken advantage of it. Montero had two singles on Wednesday for his fifth multi-hit game in a row, tying the longest streak by a rookie in Rockies history. But it wasn’t enough as the St. Louis Cardinals, and Arenado, won the game 9-5 at Coors Field. The Rockies’ infielder, who was the designated hitter on Wednesday, has at least one hit in each game since his latest recall on Aug. 2.

Montero, who didn’t play above Double-a while in the Cardinals organization, doesn’t know very many people in his former team’s clubhouse, but he was still anxious to go up against them this week.

“It was extremely emotional,” Montero said. “Facing the team that signed you and you came up with, to do what i did was really special. Something that I won’t forget.”

Montero didn’t see much game action during his first three stints with the Rockies since debuting on May 1. The Rockies wanted him to get acclimated to major league life,

and spend time with third base/infield coach Stu Cole getting his defense up to par.

He wanted to play though, and is finally getting that chance.

He’s leaned on others in the clubhouse, such as his locker-mate Brendan Rodgers, who at 26 has become a mentor for 23-year-old Montero. The pair will watch film on opposing pitchers together, with Yonathan Daza occasionally chiming in if Montero needs help translating. If Rodgers has faced a pitcher before, he’ll take Montero through his arsenal and what he looks for. If he hasn’t, they’ll study the new hurler together.

“When you start playing and you are having success and leaning on guys asking questions and it’s turning out in your favor, it’s definitely a confidence booster,” Rodgers said. “It’s good to see that wearing off on him. You can definitely tell he’s getting a lot more comfortable.”

Freeland struggles

Kyle Freeland muddled his way through the first, needing over 30 pitches to get the first three outs and giving up five earned runs in the inning. He didn’t have a feel for any of his pitches that inning, Freeland said, but he found his twoseam fastball and a little bit of his changeup to help him get through the rest of his start.

“I didn’t have good feel for anything,” Freeland said. “It was a battle trying to get out of that first inning any way I could and I just couldn’t do it.”

Austin Gomber replaced him, but his command issues still lingered. He gave up home runs to Albert Pujols and Arenado, and each finished the day a triple shy of hitting for the cycle (a single, a double, a triple and home run in the same game).

The Rockies’ offense finally got things going in the bottom of the ninth, adding three runs but falling short of the win.

Catcher Elias Díaz left the game after the eighth inning with a hurt hand. It’s been bothering him on-and-off for a while, and he aggravated it more Wednesday. He will have it scanned to determine the full extent of the damage.