GRAY STRUGGLES TO BE THE ACE ROCKIES NEED»
PHOENIX» There was nothing sinister or conspiratorial behind Major League Baseball schedulemakers sending the Rockies right back to the spot of their postseason demise, but their seasonopening series against the Arizona Diamondbacks made for some early concerns.
Arizona last October outlasted Colorado in a one-game, wildcard playoff with a few more timely hits and a more experienced pitching staff, and the Diamondbacks pounced on the Rockies on opening day by grinding down Jon Gray. Friday night’s encore, then, was another reason for worry.
Nick Ahmed drove in a careerhigh five runs in Arizona’s drawnout 9-8 victory over winless Colorado, but the Rockies tripped further into their season still wondering about their starting pitching. Left-hander Tyler Anderson lasted just 2L innings.
The D-backs jumped all over Anderson in the first inning, sending eight batters to the plate as A.J. Pollock doubled in two runs and Ahmed yanked a three-run homer to left field and the Rockies quickly trailed 5-0. Anderson threw three consecutive changeups to Ahmed, Arizona’s No. 7 hitter, but it was one too many. His homer landed in the home bullpen, and Anderson escaped his first inning only after 36 labored pitches.
Colorado manager Bud Black tabbed Anderson his staff’s No. 2 pitcher before spring training opened. His return from knee surgery last season led to an excellent stretch run. He compiled a 1.19 ERA over four games (22M innings) in the final month. He would have pitched Game 1 of an NL division series if the Rockies had made it that far.
“Going into spring, we had him
penciled in as one of our best starting pitchers,” Black said. “And we hope that’s the case. We hope he can be a major cog in our rotation because he has weapons, he has the right mind, the right competitiveness, the desire, the things you look for. He has those traits to win.”
Anderson fared significantly better in the second inning, cruising to three quick outs on just sev- en pitches, as he focused instead on throwing fastballs for strikes.
But his third inning fell apart again. He struck out Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt to lead off, but the next four batters reached base, as Pollock tripled and Ahmed singled in another run. Anderson threw 71 pitches and recorded just seven outs while giving up seven runs.
After two games, the Rockies have yet to find their footing on the mound. Gray and Anderson combined lasted just 6L innings and gave up 10 runs, for a 14.22 ERA.
The Rockies and Diamondbacks raced each other for wildcard playoff spots over the final month last year. Colorado split a crucial four-game series here in September that effectively sealed their postseason invitation. The 2018 season started with the clubs on nearly level chances. They seem like equals.
So the Rockies’ whiplash comeback in the fourth inning was on cue. They sent nine batters to the plate. Gerardo Parra pulled a tworun homer to the right-field seats and Charlie Blackmon blasted a three-run shot to the green wall in straightaway center field as the Rockies suddenly tied the marathon at 7.
But Arizona struck back for two in the fifth off Antonio Senzatela, who took the loss.
Carlos Gonzalez’s run-scoring, line-drive single in the seventh scored Nolan Arenado to cut Arizona’s lead to 9-8, but Brad Boxberger, the D-backs’ new closer, struck out Trevor Story in the ninth on a changeup in the dirt, the shortstop’s fourth strikeout on an 0-for-5 night. And Gonzalez struck out looking to end the game.