DAY BASEBALL
NL West Zach Lee, bullpen hold Rockies to 3 hits in 6-0 win.
DENVER (AP) — Zach Lee’s first major league start didn’t go all that well. Nearly 21 months later, he got another chance. Now this one went way better. Lee and four relievers combined on a three-hitter, Ryan Schimpf homered as part of a four-run first inning and the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 6-0 on Wednesday.
“After the year I had in ‘16, there could have been very few teams that would have given me opportunities,” said the 25-yearold Lee, who bounced around the minors with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners last season before being claimed off waivers by the Padres in December.
“Fortunately the Padres saw something that they wanted to take a chance on.”
This was Lee’s first start since July 25, 2015, when he was with the Dodgers and allowed seven runs at the New York Mets. He was a different pitcher this time around.
Lee (1-0) enticed fly ball after fly ball as he filled in for Luis Perdomo, who went on the disabled list before the game with shoulder inflammation. The right-handed Lee went 5 1-3 innings, allowing two hits, before turning things over to the bullpen to complete the first shutout of the Rockies at Coors Field since July 21, 2015.
“He didn’t make mistakes,” Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. “Not a good day offensively.”
Not a good series, either. The Rockies scored a combined six runs in dropping two of three to San Diego.
“It’s not a secret. We’ve got to get going,” Gonzalez said.
It was a rough first inning for Denver native Kyle Freeland (11), who allowed an RBI double to Wil Myers, a run-scoring single to Yangervis Solarte and a two-run homer to Schimpf.
“Setting the tone is very big in this game,” said Freeland, who lasted 4 2-3 innings and allowed six runs in his second start at the ballpark he used to visit as a kid.
“I didn’t set the tone very well in the first inning. I think that kind of quieted our bats as well. When you set a good tone, good things happen.”
Lee was recalled Sunday from Triple-A El Paso after Trevor Cahill went on the DL with a strained back. He got the call to start when Perdomo’s shoulder tightened up during a recent bullpen session.
The only one to figure him out was Charlie Blackmon, who had both hits off Lee — a single to start the game and a double in the fifth.
Asked how this affects Lee going forward, manager Andy Green said: “He’s going to be a viable option for us in the future. He pitched himself into consideration.”