Clips for 7-12-10

MEDIA CLIPS – April 26, 2018 Rox' 3rd-inning rally backs Gray's superb start Thomas Harding / MLB.com | April 25, 2018 DENVER -- To the Rockies' delight and the Padres' chagrin, right-hander Jon Gray on Wednesday afternoon turned his clock back to Sept. 17, 2016. Gray racked up 11 strikeouts while throwing 101 pitches through six innings of the Rockies' 5-2 victory, which clinched the three-game series. It was reminiscent of his Rockies and Coors Field-record 16-strikeout game two seasons ago. View Full Game Coverage It was the Rockies' first series win at Coors, where they generally have to dominate to contend because of a long tradition of road struggles. The home record improved to 5-7. They're 9-5 on the road, but will embark on their longest road trip to date -- against the Marlins, Cubs and Mets starting Friday. And Gray -- unfailingly honest about his pluses and minuses while losing his last three starts (19 runs, 18 earned, 26 hits in 15 2/3 innings) -- was clear-eyed in his assessment: hard to hit, but not economical. "I could have gone seven, maybe eight, if I would have been more efficient and wouldn't have wasted as many," Gray said. "But then again, I really can't complain about that. If they're not putting the ball in play, it's a way better out. I'll take it." On Wednesday, Gray fanned the side in the first inning. He used 20 pitches to do so, but he needed just 26 more pitches to clear the first time through the order, and struck out seven of the nine. 1 "I know that situation will happen again, and things will get tough again, but the more times I break through it, and the faster I do, I think it's going to help me get back on track the next time," Gray said. After winning just one of the first four games of the just-completed homestand, the Rockies won the final two behind strong starting efforts from Kyle Freeland (seven innings, eight strikeouts in Tuesday's 8-0 victory) and Gray. Most of Gray's support came during the third inning, when David Dahl delivered a two-run triple off Padres starter Tyson Ross (2-2) and scored on Trevor Story's sacrifice fly. Dahl tripled in each of the final two games in the series. A key Gray K came with one out in the fourth. Gray went from a 1-2 count to walk Carlos Asuaje, and yielded a Wil Myers single to put runners at first and second. Gray trailed Franchy Cordero 3-1 -- with manager Bud Black barking from the dugout at plate ump Hunter Wendelstedt on the third ball. But he ended up working a swinging strikeout, then forced Chase Headley to fly out to left to end the frame. "That's some of the things that we've talked to Jon about -- he bent but he didn't break," Black said. Gray established the fastball up in the zone. Through five, according to Statcast™, he had thrown 48 fastballs that included nine called strikes and 10 swings. His slider, which had eluded him for the most part this year, he threw 21 times with six swings and misses and one called strike. He changed his grip, loosening his middle finger, and said he'd keep working on it since some pitches slipped. His curve, which he used 18 times and coaxed six swinging strikes and a called strike, was an important change of pace. "I feel like Jon's best games, he looks like he's having a lot of fun," said catcher Tony Wolters, who drove in two runs and snuffed two steal attempts at second base. "I told him he's an aggressive assassin, that he has fun. "When he hears 'aggressive,' when he hears words that are not passive, I feel like it helps him." Righty reliever Bryan Shaw (usually lefty Jake McGee would have pitched, but Black stayed away from him because of heavy recent use) walked two and threw a wild pitch while giving up a run in the seventh. Adam Ottavino, with a three-run lead, struck out two in the eighth and has fanned 26 in 13 2/3 innings. 2 YOU GOTTA SEE THIS Since being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday, Dahl has a hit in each game and is 5-for-16 (.313). He said he would like to trim his strikeouts (eight). But Friday's triple off the extended fencing in front of the Rockies bullpen displayed the form that he showed while hitting .315 with seven homers, 12 doubles and four triples as a rookie in 63 games in 2016. Injuries kept him out of the Majors last season, but he's hitting as if he's not planning to go back. Black using him at cleanup Wednesday, for the second time, spoke volumes. "It makes me confident," Dahl said. "It's a good feeling being cleanup like that. I feel pretty good, just gotta cut down the K's. But it's a very small sample. I hope I can get it going soon." UP NEXT Lefty Tyler Anderson (1-0, 4.32 ERA) begins a nine-game trip on Friday (5:10 p.m. MT) against the Marlins, who will start Jose Urena (0-3, 5.88). Anderson defeated the Cubs in his last start by shaking off a rough first inning, going with fastballs over off-speed pitches, and lasting six innings (two runs, six hits). Urena is 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA in four starts against the Rockies. 3 Freeland's next start may be pushed back 1 day CarGo improving, hitting in cage; Parra to return Friday Thomas Harding / MLB.com | April 25, 2018 DENVER -- Left-hander Kyle Freeland arrived at Coors Field on Wednesday in pain from a bruised heel he suffered during his seven scoreless innings in a victory over the Padres on Tuesday night. But by day's end, he said treatment had promoted healing and he can stay in the rotation -- with the best hope being his next start is pushed back a day. Freeland, who struck out eight in the Rockies' second shutout of the year, 8-0, was hit by a Chase Headley liner in the fourth inning and stayed in. Manager Bud Black and Freeland each speculated that the pain in the heel actually may have helped him maintain his delivery, but it sure didn't tickle. View Full Game Coverage "There's some swelling and we're just trying to spread out the bleeding and get it taken care of," Freeland said. "Throughout the course of today, it's felt a lot better from where it was when I woke up this morning. So it's taking steps." With the Rockies idle two of the next eight days, it's possible to manipulate the schedule so the club doesn't have to call up a replacement. If the Rockies stay on rotation, Freeland's turn would be Monday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. But righty Jon Gray, who started Wednesday afternoon's 5-2 win against the Padres, theoretically can take that start on four days' rest. Freeland said the extra day should be enough. The Rockies also are carrying righty Antonio Senzatela, who has been throwing multiple innings out of the bullpen, and can use him in a spot-start to give Freeland extra time. Gonzalez improving Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain suffered last Wednesday, is "improving," according to Black. "He's hitting in the cage, doing a lot of strengthening exercises, so he's progressing very optimistically," Black said. "The weather has been a little dicey so we'll get him to Miami, Fla. [for a three-game series that starts Friday night], and get him on the grass." 4 Parra to greet Rockies The four-game fighting suspension for outfielder Gerardo Parra ended Wednesday. Black said Parra has been hitting in Miami -- where he has an offseason home -- to keep sharp and will greet the team there for the three-game series against the Marlins that starts Friday night. 5 Rockies’ rotation facing big challenge as nine-game road trip looms Back-to-back quality starts by Kyle Freeland and Jon Gray has Colorado optimistic Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | April 25, 2018 The Rockies’ upcoming road trip looms like a tough, early-season exam, especially for a starting pitching staff that has flashed potential, but also has created plenty of consternation. Impressive starts by left-hander Kyle Freeland Tuesday night in a 8-0 win over San Diego, followed by right-hander Jon Gray‘s powerful, 11-strikeout performance over the Padres in a 5-2 victory Wednesday at Coors Field, gives the Rockies something to build on as they head east. “We have a good chance to be at the top, with all of the rest of the high-end rotations,” said Freeland, who pitched seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball on Tuesday, striking out eight. “We have the tools to do it, and we have the mentality to do it. It’s just a matter of going out there with the mentality that no one is going to beat us.” The test begins Friday, starting at Miami’s Marlins Park, where the Rockies are just 6-15 all-time and struggle to hit. Then it’s on to Chicago to face a Cubs team that is considered a World Series contender and recently took two-of-three from Colorado at Coors Field.

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