Clips for 7-12-10

MEDIA CLIPS – Sept. 19, 2018 Rockies’ offense falls short as LA widens lead Colorado can’t add on after Blackmon’s homer, falls to 1 1/12 back Katie Woo | MLB.com | Sept. 19, 2018 LOS ANGELES -- Tuesday night's extra-innings contest between the Dodgers and the Rockies at Dodger Stadium had all the drama of a postseason atmosphere. Unfortunately for the Rockies, they ended up on the wrong end of the result. With one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, Chris Taylor clobbered Adam Ottavino's 2-2 slider into the left-field bleachers for a walk-off solo home run. The Rockies lost, 3-2, and slipped to 1 1/2 games out of first place in the National League West. "I've had success against the guy," Ottavino said. "I wish I would've hit with the fastball previously. I think that would've got him. I think he knew that pitch was coming and he didn't miss it." Offensive woes have plagued the Rockies -- who were without injured star shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday -- for the last week. That pattern continued when they were shut out for the rest of the game after Charlie Blackmon's solo home run in the fifth inning. They mustered just four total hits and their lineup went 0-8 with runners in scoring position. "There's no secret that we didn't swing the bat great in San Francisco, and the last two nights Ryu, Kershaw and their bullpen has done a nice job," manager Bud Black said. "We've got to score more runs and we've got to get more hits." The Rockies have managed just five runs in their last seven games after tagging the D-backs for 31 runs in a four-game series from Sept. 10-13. 1 "Our guys are aware," Black added. "When you talk to them and ask the same questions, they'll probably say the same thing. We'll study video, we'll be in the cage, we'll talk about certain pitchers. We'll do what we've done all year and get after [Walker] Buehler tomorrow night." With just eleven games remaining in the regular season, Black was asked if Tuesday's loss warranted any "punched-in- the-gut feelings." "We've been through this before with tough losses late," he said. "We know what it's like on the other end, too. "It'll be a fight to the end," he added. "I've said that all along." Freeland battles Kershaw, saddled with no-decision Kyle Freeland went toe-to-toe with Clayton Kershaw, with both aces departing with the score tied at 2. Freeland battled some control issues, but finished 6 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out four. He did tie his season high with four walks, but he was able to notch his ninth straight quality start. "I was really proud of Kyle," Black said. "Kyle kept his stuff the whole game. His velocity held through the slider and the changeup. He was outstanding -- he matched Kershaw. It was a great pitched game from both guys." Since the All-Star break, Freeland has gone 7-1 with a 2.69 ERA. He has held opposing hitters to a .228 batting average over his last 12 starts. "This was the fourth time I faced them and it was obvious they made an adjustment," Freeland said. "Almost their entire lineup backed off the dish knowing that we were going to go inside." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Facing Kershaw for the third time, Blackmon unleashed a monster 447-foot home run halfway up the right-field bleachers to give the Rockies a 2-1 lead. The blast was the longest home run allowed by Kershaw at Dodger Stadium since Statcast™ began tracking in 2015. SOUND SMART Usually a defensive standout at the hot corner, Nolan Arenado recorded his first two-error game since August 14, 2016. Both errors were recorded as throwing errors. He's had six two-error games in his six-year career. UP NEXT Tyler Anderson will take the mound Wednesday coming off a two-run, six-inning performance against the Giants in his 2 last start. Anderson has struggled mechanically as of late and two of his last four starts ended with him being unable to finish three innings of work. He looked much sharper in his last start -- he didn't issue a walk and struck out six. Anderson will face off against the Dodgers' Buehler, with first pitch slated for 8:10 p.m. MT. 3 Story’s injury less severe than initially feared Rockies shortstop out ‘a few days’ with elbow inflammation Katie Woo | MLB.com | Sept. 19, 2018 LOS ANGELES -- The Rockies got good news from Trevor Story's MRI exam results on Tuesday. Colorado's shortstop has inflammation in his right elbow, not a ligament injury, and will be sidelined a few days, according to manager Bud Black. Story exited early in Monday's 8-2 loss to the Dodgers. "The joint is fine, ligament is intact and there is no structural damage," Black told reporters before Tuesday's game, adding that he hoped to have his starting shortstop back "in a few days." Story left Monday's game in the fourth inning with right elbow soreness following a swing and miss against Los Angeles left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, though Story said after the game that he initially hurt his elbow during a dive and throw at shortstop to nab Justin Turner on a groundout. As Story dove to his left, he landed awkwardly on his elbow before making a throw. The third-year starter appeared to grimace as he shook his right arm when returning to his position ahead of the ensuing at-bat. Story also said that he experienced pain when swinging. "I felt something on the throw when I dove for the ball," Story said. "My elbow was a little tight, but I just tried to play through it. When I swung through that pitch, it kind of extended my arm and I felt it a little more." Perhaps more than any player within the Rockies' lineup, Story is the one everyday player the club can least afford to lose. He's been as important as any player in their ascension into postseason contention, but more chiefly, shortstop is the most uncertain position on the roster beyond the everyday starter. Now, they expect only to need a replacement for a few days. The Rockies elected to go with Garrett Hampson for Tuesday's game over starting first baseman Ian Desmond, who played shortstop for the Nationals in his first seven years in the big leagues. Desmond hasn't played shortstop full time since 2015, and when Story went down with a left shoulder strain in May 2017, the club was hesitant to have Desmond fill in at short -- though he did take infield practice there. Hampson has been in the Majors for just a few months, slashing .261/.414/.391 in 23 at-bats. He's filled in as a utility player -- primarily as a second baseman when DJ LeMahieu was sidelined over three DL stints earlier this year -- and he's played just one game at shortstop for the Rockies this year. He not only has big shoes to fill by replacing Story, a potential MVP Award candidate, but he's tasked with facing one of the league's best pitchers in Clayton Kershaw. "It's going to be a challenge," Hampson said. "He's one of the best and I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to try and contribute the best I can." 4 Hampson was notified about the start at early batting practice Tuesday by bench coach Mike Redmond. "This is what you dream of," he added. "You want to compete like this in meaningful games. I'm ready for it." "[Garrett's] going to be just fine," third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "We communicate fine." While Colorado is optimistic about the amount of time Story could miss, his absence comes at the peak of a critical series with the Dodgers. The Rockies entered Tuesday a half-game out of first place in the NL West behind the Dodgers and a half-game out of the second NL Wild Card spot behind the Cardinals. "Going into this, we knew it was going to take everybody," catcher Chris Iannetta said. "You never anticipate there being a possible injury, you never can anticipate when or if it's going to be an injury to one of your main guys. "You're faced with one of two things," he quipped. "You can go out and say 'Oh well, someone got hurt,' and we pack it up and go home, or we keep battling and stick to the fact that it's going to take everybody in order to get where we want to be. It's going to take the whole team to pick up the pace." "We feel for [Story], but at the same time we have a job to do," Arenado added. "We have a game to go out there and play. The Dodgers don't feel bad, they're going to go out there ready to go, so we have to be ready to compete." A first-time All-Star in 2018, Story is having a career year in which he's generated buzz in September as a possible candidate for the National League MVP Award. He is hitting .288/.343/.550 with a career-high 33 homers, which trail only Matt Carpenter (35), Bryce Harper (34) and Arenado (34) for the NL lead.

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