MEDIA CLIPS – July 2, 2017

Story's long ball not enough as Rox fall By Jarrid Denney and Thomas Harding / MLB.com | 2:11 AM ET

PHOENIX -- Coming off a three-game losing streak in which big hits seemed to elude them, the D-backs bounced back with a 6-2 win over the Rockies at Chase Field on Saturday night. Backed by a cluster of D-backs' extra-base hits, Zack

Greinke struck out eight and held Colorado to three hits over seven innings.

David Peralta led the way with two RBIs and two doubles as Arizona racked up seven extra-base hits. The D-backs are

28-10 this season in games in which they scored first and 39-3 in games in which they led after six innings.

"I thought we had a really nice approach," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "When you slug the ball that way, I feel like we're waiting for our pitch and not missing it. That's one of the characteristics of this team. There were a number of well-hit balls, but there were also some hustle doubles and hustle extra-base hits and that's what this team does every single night."

Colorado's lone big hit came on a seventh-inning, two- homer from Trevor Storythat floated over the left-field fence. Statcast™ predicted the hit probability of the homer at just 16 percent. It was the fourth homer Story has hit off

Greinke in 19 career at-bats.

• Greinke improves to 8-0 at Chase Field

"That was as good as I've seen him until the base hit by Nolan [Arenado] -- Nolan sort of ambushed him on the first pitch, then Trevor got to 3-2," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "Trevor kept his hands back, and he got the bat head out."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Greinke escapes, then cruises: The Rockies threatened to throw a run on the board early when Mike

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Tauchman reached on an infield single in the third, and then advanced on a wild pitch. But Greinke retired the Rockies in order from that point on and didn't allow another batter to reach base until the seventh inning.

"They would make a good pitch on us and get us out or we wouldn't make a good pitch on them or we wouldn't get that hit when we needed it," said Rockies leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon, whose grounder ended the third.

Mathis ignites big inning: After Story cut Arizona's lead to 3-2 with a two-run homer in the sixth, the D-backs bounced back immediately to make sure Greinke's quality start didn't go to waste. After the first of two Rockies errors in the inning, Jeff Mathis lined a triple to center to score Rey Fuentes and put the D-backs back up by two. Tauchman later dropped a Ketel Marte fly ball in left field that allowed another run to score. More >>

"I was just trying to be ready to hit," Mathis said. "I know with Chatwood, everything was hard. He got me with the slider the at-bat before, so I had that in the back of my mind and got one that I could drive."

GETTING IT BACK TOGETHER

Descalso's first-inning leadoff triple was among the hardest-hit balls of the evening against Chatwood, who struck out six against three walks. It was a bounce-back from the eight-walk, 3 1/3-inning mess in a loss to the Dodgers in his last start.

The Goldschmidt triple eluded right fielder Raimel Tapia along the wall. Blackmon leaped for Mathis' triple, only to see the ball bounce at the base of the center-field wall.

"I felt like I threw the ball good," said Chatwood, charged with six runs (four earned). "I don't feel like my line reflected how

I pitched, but that's going to happen sometimes."

WHAT'S NEXT

Rockies: What has been a difficult National League West road trip will end Sunday at 2:10 p.m. MT, with righty German

Marquez (5-4, 4.38 ERA) starting the finale of three against the D-backs at Chase Field.

D-backs: Arizona will close out its 10-game homestand with Taijuan Walker, who gave up three earned runs in a no- decision last time out against St. Louis on June 27, on the mound on Sunday. Arizona is 15-10 in series finales this season.

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Defensive slips costly in Rockies loss By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | 1:53 AM ET

PHOENIX -- The crisp baseball that helped the Rockies to their hot start disappeared when they needed it most Saturday night.

Trevor Story's seventh-inning, two-run homer off D-backs ace Zack Greinke made for a one-run deficit for a Rockies team that had been listless much of the night. But two errors in the bottom of the seventh greased the way for a three-run inning and the Rockies' ninth loss in their last 10 games, 6-2, at Chase Field.

Story, who has defended solidly all year, fielded Rey Fuentes' bouncer, then made a high throw that ticked off the glove of first baseman Mark Reynolds, who was trying to keep his right foot on the bag.

"That's baseball," manager Bud Black said. "Fuentes is fast. Trevor was throwing on the run. Mark knew that it was going to be a bang-bang play. Mark could've jumped, caught the ball, but by jumping his foot probably would've been elevated and that might've been enough to call him safe. That's competition. That's what happens."

Jeff Mathis followed with a drive to deep center. The Rockies' Charlie Blackmon arrived in time at the warning track and leaped, but the ball went over his glove and hit at the base of the wall. Mathis had a triple, and the D-backs led by two.

Ketel Marte followed with a fly to left that should have been an out, but rookie Mike Tauchman dropped it to extend the inning. Mathis scored on what was ruled a sacrifice fly. The play extended what became a three-run inning, with two of the runs unearned.

The miscues took an opportunity from starter Tyler Chatwood, who rebounded from an eight-walk performance at Los

Angeles to keep the Rockies close on a night when Grienke was dominant (three hits, eight in seven innings).

Chatwood gave up seven hits and fanned six, but was charged with six runs (four earned).

Chatwood (6-9) put the onus on himself to bail out his teammates in that case.

"You can't control that," Chatwood said. "You want to try to help your guys out and pick them up. I wasn't able to do that."

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Arenado surprised by his bevy of triples Rockies third baseman had four three-base hits in June

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | July 1st, 2017

PHOENIX -- If triples are the domain of players who can run, how did Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado put his atop anyone's three-bagger category?

Arenado, who if he were a scout would rate his speed at "below below-average," tripled inside the right-field foul line off Archie Bradley in the seventh inning of Friday night's 6-3 victory over the D-backs.

It was his fourth triple of June, which was the most in the Majors, and tied for the most in Rockies history during June. A

Rockies player has hit four June triples four times, the latest being Carlos Gonzalez in 2013.

For the season, Arenado has five triples -- one shy of the six he posted a year ago.

Arenado, whose defense and power amaze fans and could get him into the starting lineup the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard (rosters will be announced Sunday), expressed surprise when he learned he made triples history. He then wondered about the mitigating factors, since three of the four -- one during his cycle on June 18 against the Giants --- occurred at Coors Field.

"I think the gaps in Denver are big," Arenado said. "Obviously, I got one on the road here. It's just a matter of placing the ball in the right spot, and hopefully those bobble the ball and give me a chance."

But Arenado copped to some skill. On Friday's triple, he barely came out of the batter's box because he thought the ball would land foul. But he read D-backs right fielder David Peralta properly and scampered to third.

"When I run, I watch," Arenado said. "I don't feel I need to look at Stu [Cole, the third base ]. I'm not running fast enough for that.

"I think I'm a good baserunner because I can read things. I watch how balls are being played."

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Story continues to impress with his glove By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | July 1st, 2017

PHOENIX -- Rockies fans groaned through Trevor Story's two strikeouts in his first three plate appearances Friday night, but the final 1-for-3 with a walk was not a bad night. But he made it all moot by taking care of job No. 1 -- putting away the key play at shortstop.

After the D-backs' Chris Owings homered off Mike Dunn with one out in the eighth to cut the Rockies' lead to 6-3, the

Rockies went to Jake McGee and needed outs. Solid-running Brandon Drury chopped one in the infield and

Story made a play that was more difficult than it looked to throw in time to first base.

Story was .224 going into Saturday night --.265 in 34 games since missing 13 games with a left shoulder injury -- but his defense continues to carry value.

"On a scouting scale, he's playing an above-average shortstop," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "An average shortstop makes all the plays a Major League shortstop should make. What Trevor does is he goes beyond that average player, and makes those plays consistently. That play against Drury in the eighth? Hey, good play."

With Story's hitting struggles -- including 87 strikeouts in 228 at-bats -- the position would be in crisis if Story weren't so solid defensively. But even when Story was hitting 27 homers as a rookie last season, he knew which side of his job took precedence.

"You can't get too caught up in your offense," Story said. "Offensively, you're not going to be clicking all the time, but to win championships takes pitching and defense, and you can bring the defense every day at shortstop."

It's difficult to clearly quantify it. FanGraphs credits Story with one Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which puts him a little above average, although the chances missed when he was out could be working against him.

But the DRS figure does not account for the extreme defensive shifts the Rockies use frequently. And the Rockies positioning, in regular alignments and shifts, accounts for the presence of otherworldly third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Also, Statcast™ has made major strides in quantifying fielding plays, but hasn't developed metrics for infielders.

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So the best that can be said is Story makes plays -- routine and better -- because of his increased knowledge. His method is to rely on third base coach Stu Cole for positioning information, but try not to suffer from information overload. In-game, he leans on what he sees in his pitcher and the hitters.

"I don't watch videos, but I talk to Stu, who lets us know the tendencies, then I watch the hitters and I can move based on what I see," Story said. "I need to have that instinct, and see how the game is playing out. Hitters go through different phases -- they might be heavy to one side or the other, and you have to see that."

Worth noting

• Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who hasn't played since suffering a right groin cramp Tuesday, could return to the starting lineup as soon as Sunday.

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Marquez aims for win over D-backs By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | July 1st, 2017

When D-backs righty pitcher Taijuan Walker meets the Rockies and righty German Marquez at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon, watch out for Walker's bat.

When Walker faced the Rockies at Coors Field on June 21, it was Walker's RBI single off Jeff Hoffman that was a gut punch during a nine-run D-backs second inning. The 16-5 Arizona victory began an eight-game Colorado losing streak that didn't end until the Rockies' 6-3 win over the D-backs at Chase Field on Friday night.

So let's talk about pitcher hitting, just for fun:

For a guy who spent his first five seasons in the with the Mariners and had 10 total plate appearances,

Walker has accounted well for himself. He is 5-for-24 with two RBIs, three runs scored and eight strikeouts this season.

Marquez is 2-for-17 with four RBIs, eight strikeouts and four sacrifice bunts.

Three things to know about this game

• After forcing soft contact in three starts June 9-20 -- all Rockies wins, one credited to him -- Marquez gave up some hard-hit balls in his last start, a loss to the Giants on Monday.During the three starts in the wins, he had a 1.93 ERA and the opponents' expected batting average against his four-seam fastball, based on Statcast-projected exit velocity and launch angle, was .272. That xBA jumped to .340 in his last start in San Francisco, in which 6 of the 11 four-seamers that were put in play by the Giants were "hard-hit" -- 95-plus mph exit velocity.

• Walker is 3-0, with a 2.70 ERA in his last four starts. But three of the seven earned runs (in 23 1/3 innings) over the span came in his last start, a 6 1/3-inning, no-decision against the Cardinals.

• Walker has had solid performances at home and on the road, but he is less-effective at Chase Field. Walker is 4-2 with a

2.65 ERA and .695 OPS against on the road; 2-1, 4.50 and ,745 OPS at home.

Walker has pitched well against the Rockies, both at home and at Coors. The Rockies' xBA of .211 against him is fourth- lowest among all starting that have faced Colorado this season with a minimum 30 ABs.

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Rockies, dominated by Diamondbacks’ Zack Greinke, lose for ninth time in last 10 games Rockies will try to win the series Sunday afternoon at Chase Field By PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: July 1, 2017 at 11:01 pm | UPDATED: July 2, 2017 at 12:47 am

PHOENIX — The Rockies fizzled out on fireworks night at Chase Field on Saturday, losing 6-2 to Arizona.

Smothered most of the game by Arizona ace Zack Grienke, Colorado climbed back into game in the seventh inning on a two-run homer by Trevor Story, cutting the Diamondbacks’ lead to 3-2.

Then came one of the Rockies’ ugliest, and most-costly, innings of the season.

It began with a throwing error from shortstop by Story, followed by an RBI triple by Mike Mathis to center off Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood. Ketel Marte then hit what should have been a routine sacrifice fly to left, but Mike Tauchman dropped it for an error.

A run-scoring double by David Peralta off Chatwood capped off the Diamondbacks’ three-run inning and the Rockies were on their way to another loss, their ninth in their last 10 games. They continue to slide farther behind the first-place

Dodgers and second-place Diamondbacks in the National League West.

Center fielder Charlie Blackmon tipped his cap to Greinke, but he made it clear he wasn’t happy with his team’s lack of offense.

“Taking seven innings to score a couple of runs is not exactly doing what we could,” Blackmon said. “It was a combination of us not doing really good, and him doing his job. But I think we should do better than that.”

Greinke won an American League Cy Young Award with Kansas City in 2009. He finished second for the NL Cy Young as a member of the Dodgers in 2015. Saturday night, Arizona’s $206.5 million man displayed his exquisite talent again. He pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on three hits, striking out eight and walking none. He improved to 8-0 with a

2.67 ERA at home this season.

“That was as good as I have seen him until that base hit by Nolan (Arenado) in the seventh,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He was dealing. Good fastball location, tight slider, good and that sort of split-change he throws. All four pitches were working for sure. He was on tonight.”

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The balance of the game changed quickly, if only momentarily, in the seventh. Arenado roped a first-pitch single to center

and two batters later, Story lifted his two-out homer over the left-field fence. What was shaping up to be a complete-game

shutout for Grienke was suddenly a 3-2 game. Story’s homer was his 11th this season, and his fourth off Grienke in 21 at-

bats.

Then the rally caved in.Chatwood pitched relatively well, though the Diamondbacks tagged him for two triples that led to

runs, one by Daniel Descalso to lead off the first innings and another by Paul Goldschmidt in the fourth.

“I felt like I threw the ball good, and I don’t think my line reflected the way I pitched. But that’s going to happen

sometimes,” said Chatwood, now 6-9 with a 4.41 ERA.

Chatwood was right, his line was not very good: 6 ⅓ innings pitched, six runs (four earned) on seven hits. He walked

three and struck out six. But, again, he thought the line was misleading.“I thought I had a lot of soft contact, and for the

most part I thought I was in control of the game,” he said.

The Rockies, 1-7 on the current road trip, will try to win the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Chase Field.

Postgame Notes of Note

• Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood allowed six runs, tying a season high. However, only four of the runs were earned.

• Chatwood now as 401 career strikeouts.

• Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado batted 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak against Arizona to seven games. He’s

batting .357 (10-for-28) during the streak.

• The Diamondbacks’ 51-31 record is their best 82-game start in franchise history.

• The D-backs are 16-5 in last their last 21 home games since May 15.

• Starter Zack Greinke improved to 8-0 with a 2.67 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 10 starts at Chase Field this season.

• Greinke’s 8-0 started ties Patrick Corbin (2013) for the best start of the season at home in franchise history.

• Arizona closer Fernando Rodney extended his scoreless outing to 11 straight, a career high.

• Rodney has not allowed earned run in 20 straight games since May 1.

• Arizona’s three triples tied a single-game high (10th time).

• Arizona’s Daniel Descalso (the former Rockies utility player) has safely reached base in eight consecutive games, batting

.400 (12-for-30) with two doubles, two triples and seven RBIs. 9

Jon Gray not a true ace yet, but Rockies right-hander is getting there Gray announced his arrival as a potential ace last season against San Diego at Coors Field By PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: July 1, 2017 at 6:46 pm | UPDATED: July 1, 2017 at 6:50 pm

PHOENIX — Jon Gray looks like an ace straight out of central casting.

The sturdy Rockies right-hander stands 6-foot-5, weighs 230 pounds, consistently unleashes a 96 mph fastball and throws a slider that cuts the heart out of hitters.

Friday night at Chase Field, Gray returned to the mound after recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot that cost him

77 big-league days. Gray struck out 10 Arizona hitters over six innings and helped halt the Rockies’ eight-game losing streak.

He used his trusty slider to whiff Diamondbacks MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt three times and drew praise from

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo.

“I saw some down fastballs, bottom of the zone, good angle,” Lovullo said of Gray. “He was working the edges of the plate and his slider was more than efficient. Knowing that he was coming off the foot injury and it’s his first outing at this level after a long rehab, I though he did a pretty good job. He gave the Rockies exactly what they needed.”

But is Gray, at age 25, truly an ace? Is he the foundation of the franchise? Is he the type of pitcher the Rockies can truly count on to stop skids, beat the best teams in the National League and lead them to the promised land of postseason play?

The consensus is maybe, but he’s certainly not there yet.

“Jon, potentially, can be that guy,” said first-year Rockies manager Bud Black. “Everybody has their different criteria, but for me, passing the test of time is the most important factor for me to label a pitcher a true ace. So I think Jon has to prove that over time.

“The physical tools are there. The delivery, the stuff, is there. I think Jon has stamina and durability, but Jon still has things to work on.”

Mark Wiley, the Rockies’ director of pitching operations, has been been in since he was 18 years old. He is 69 now. He was a big-league pitching coach for 17 seasons, including 1995-98 with teams 10

that went to the playoffs four times and to the World Series twice. Wiley’s Indians had the lowest ERA in the American

League in 1995 and 1996.

Wiley knows about pitching, so he knows the real thing when he sees it.

“An ace is an ace because he likes being on the big stage,” Wiley said. “You don’t think anybody is better than you. It’s not that you don’t respect other guys’ abilities, but you truly believe that you are better than that Hall of Fame hitter at the plate who’s facing you.

“You want to be there, in that moment. You want to take on that responsibility.”

Has Gray reached that summit yet?

“I think it will take time,” Wiley said. “I think there are certain elements that we can see about to happen, but they still have to happen. But I do think the building blocks are there. He’s a way more aggressive pitcher than he was when he first came up.”

Ask Gray about his status as a would-be ace and fire flashes in his eyes.

“That’s my whole objective,” he said. “That’s what I work for every day — to be an ace. I know the stuff is there, so now it’s how I put that stuff together and how well I show it on the field that matters.”

Oh, yes, “the stuff.” It’s the reason the Rockies selected Gray, from the University of Oklahoma, in the 2013 draft as the third overall pick. The Sooner from Shawnee arrived in the majors with his explosive fastball and biting slider, and he has developed a good but still inconsistent curveball since joining the Rockies. His remains a work in progress.

The slider is Gray’s specialty. It has a relatively sharp break, but what makes the pitch so wicked is that it arrives at the plate at 90 mph. Last season, according to Beyond the Box Score, batters hit only .174 against the slider, and whiffed at it on over 43 percent of their swings, 11th-best in the major leagues.

“Jon Gray has electric stuff, he has energy and he has God-given ability,” said Rockies catcher Tony Wolters. “Guys want to play behind him. Plus, he takes his job super serious.”

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Still, Gray’s overall numbers are far from great. Through 42 big-league starts, he is 11-12 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.34

WHIP (walks plus hits allowed per inning pitched). He is on a similar path as former Rockies right-hander Ubaldo

Jimenez.

Over the first 51 games (50 starts) of his career, Jimenez was 16-16 with a 4.06 ERA through the 2008 season. Then he broke out in 2009 (the last time the Rockies made it to the playoffs), going 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA and 198 strikeouts. He was even better in 2010, finishing 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and setting a season franchise record with 214 strikeouts. He finished third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award that year.

Gray announced his arrival as a potential ace last season against San Diego at Coors Field. On Sept. 17, he pitched one of the most dominant games in team history as the Rockies blanked the Padres 8-0. Gray tossed a shutout and struck out a club-record 16 batters, also the most in Coors Field history.

“Jon was unbelievable,” all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado said after that game. “That’s probably the best pitching performance I’ve ever played behind. I didn’t even have to make any plays because he struck out everyone. But his intensity out there tonight was amazing. He was locked in from the first inning on. He just competed his butt off. We don’t see a lot of games like that here.”

Gray had an excellent , fully aware that he had grown up a lot.

“I think spring training was a good reflection of where I’m at,” he said. “That’s how I wanted to carry myself. I didn’t really feel like I belonged the first year I was up. In the back of my mind I would be thinking, ‘Am I really this good? Or am I getting lucky?’

“That’s because I would have some rough games every now and then, and I’d feel like I was right back to where I started.

Now I realize that’s part of learning. So I kicked the bad habit and got rid of those negative thoughts. Now, I’m back to loving baseball.”

The foot injury that sidelined Gray on April 13 was “incredibly frustrating,” he said, but now he’s ready to resume his quest.

“It was a big game. I had big opportunity to have a good game and really try to turn things around for us,” Gray said Friday after Colorado’s 6-3 victory over the Diamondbacks. “All that stuff crossed my mind, but whenever I stepped over the line,

I was thinking about pitch by pitch, trying to execute each one.

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“Actually, I didn’t have very many butterflies at all. That’s starting to go away, which is pretty cool.”

Gray Matters

Rockies right-hander Jon Gray, in his third season in the majors, is making steady progress as he attempts to become the ace of the franchise:

2015

0-2, 5.33 ERA in nine starts

Made his major-league debut on Aug. 4 vs. Seattle at age 23

Quotable: “I’ve pitched fine on the road. I just can’t find that — whatever it is — to make an adjustment to pitch (at Coors

Field).” — After a 9-3 loss to the Pirates on Sept. 21.

2016

10-10, 4.61 ERA in 29 starts

Struck out 185 to set a franchise record for a rookie

Quotable: “I feel like I belong out here this year. I told myself, ‘I’m here for a reason, so when not show it off?’ That has been my thought process this year: ‘Go show it off.’ ” — After throwing a complete-game shutout and recording a franchise record 16 strikeouts against San Diego on Sept. 17.

2017

1-0, 3.93 ERA in four starts

On the disabled list with a stress fracture in left foot from April 13 to June 29.

Quotable: “I think I have taken another step in my career. I just want to go out there and make pitches and get outs. I’m going to battle.” — After pitching six innings and striking out 10 his return Friday night in Colorado’s 6-3 win at Arizona.

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David Dahl finally on path to return to Rockies Dahl hit .315 with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 63 games as a rookie last season By PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post July 1, 2017 at 8:04 pm

PHOENIX — If patience is a virtue, than David Dahl is a saint.

The Rockies’ talented, young has been out since the second Cactus League game of spring training with stress reaction of the sixth rib. He has come close to returning a number of times, only to have the injury flare back up.

Now, finally, Dahl is making steady progress, though there is no specific timetable for his return.

He began hitting off a tee Thursday and he’s feeling no discomfort in the spot where the rib wraps around his back. He has stayed in shape while getting treatment at the Rockies’ facility in nearby Scottsdale, Ariz.

“I haven’t felt any pain in a month,” he said. “That’s really encouraging. I feel like my time is coming. I feel good and I’ve been doing a lot of rotational work. Hopefully this continues to go well.”

Dahl, 23, never thought the injury would take this long to heal.

“I found out that when you have a stress (reaction) it can take a while,” he said. “You have to be patient, even though it’s tough. That’s the only way.”

In 2015, while playing in Double-A, Dahl suffered a violent outfield collision that resulted in a ruptured spleen. He underwent surgery to have his spleen removed and played in only 73 games that season.

“I tell myself that I’m getting all of my injuries out of the way now, when I’m younger,” Dahl said. “I mean, it stinks but you have to deal with it.”

Dahl hit .315 with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 63 games as a rookie last season and went into spring training to compete with Gerardo Parra for the starting job in left field. Parra is currently on the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps.

“It’s very difficult not being with the team,” Dahl said. “But I watch every game and I cheer them on. It’s been tough, but

I’ve gotten through it and I’m ready to take those next steps.”

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DJ almost ready. Manager Bud Black said Saturday that injured second baseman DJ LeMahieu is “closer than you think” in returning to the starting lineup. That means LeMahieu is likely to be back in the starting lineup Sunday.

LeMahieu strained his right groin during Tuesday night’s game at San Francisco. The Rockies never thought he would have to go on the disabled list.

Anderson update. Left-handed starter Tyler Anderson, out with a left knee injury, will undergo arthroscopic surgery

Monday in Denver. The Rockies had previously said that Anderson would have the procedure Friday.

Footnotes. Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (strained right shoulder) is scheduled to come off the DL on Monday. He doesn’t expect to have to play in any minor-league rehab games. … Black turned 60 years old Friday and center fielder Charlie

Blackmon celebrated his 31st birthday Saturday.

Looking ahead

Rockies RHP German Marquez (5-4, 4.38 ERA) at Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (6-3, 3.50), 2:10 p.m. Sunday,

ROOT; 850 AM

Marquez needs a bounce-back start after a tough game at San Francisco on Monday when he was rocked for five runs on seven hits in four innings. He has already faced the Diamondbacks three times this season, going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

He received a no-decision in a 2-0, 13-inning loss to Arizona on April 30 at Chase Field, despite allowing no runs in six innings. Walker has pitched well against the Rockies this season, going 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts. Walker is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last four starts.

Monday: Reds RHP Luis Castillo (0-0, 3.38) at Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman (4-1, 4.04), 6:10 p.m., ROOT

Tuesday: Reds RHP Homer Bailey (0-2, 27.00 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (8-6, 3.84), 6:10 p.m., ROOT

Wednesday: Reds RHP Jackson Stephens (season debut) at Rockies RHP Jon Gray (1-0, 3.93), 6:40 p.m., ROOT

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Saunders: A salute to Rockies’ Ryan Hanigan and all the hardscrabble catchers Black has a reputation for working his catchers hard, trusting them and valuing them. By PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post July 1, 2017 at 7:03 pm

PHOENIX — Remember Tom Berenger as veteran catcher Jake Taylor in the movie “Major League?” That’s Rockies catcher Ryan Hanigan. Although Hanigan is a bit crustier and more black and blue then Berenger ever was.

At age 36, Hanigan is quite a sight. With his knees iced and wrapped, and with eye-black streaked across his face like warpaint, Hanigan shuffles through the clubhouse like he’s 70. But strap on the gear, put him behind the plate and have him call pitches for the Rockies’ young staff and Hanigan is born again. He becomes a baseball warrior.

No offense to still-developing catcher Tom Murphy, but the Rockies’ decision to promote Hanigan from Triple-A was a move they needed to make. Hangian’s ability to handle pitchers, captain the infield and control the game is invaluable.

Plus, there is the added bonus of Hanigan tutoring Tony Wolters, Colorado’s promising, young starting catcher.

“Ryan brings a lot to the table in terms of experience and wisdom,” manager Bud Black said Friday. “He’s also a darn good catcher.”

I have a certain fixation regarding catchers. I think they are some of the toughest, smartest, most valuable players in sports. But then, I have a personal bias.

During my Little League days, and up through age 15, I was a catcher. At least most of the time. We played games at a field near Olde Town Arvada. I think it’s a parking lot or movie theater now. Anyway, the backstop was a big-league distance from home plate, or at least it felt that way to me.

I was terrible behind the plate, and I think I set the all-time record for passed balls. It was a brutal experience. Oftentimes, baserunners would take two bases at a time as the ball skidded around the backstop behind me.

I digress, but let me just say that that experience left me with a profound admiration and appreciation for catchers.

The late Joe Garagiola once said, “The catcher is a groundhog. He’s a guy squatting down, digging for the ball in the dirt, and sweating under a pile of uncomfortable protective gear while his knees creak.”

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Or, as Hall of Famer Bill Dickey once put it, “A catcher must want to catch. He must make up his mind that it isn’t the terrible job it is painted, and that he isn’t going to say every day, ‘Why, oh why with so many other positions in baseball did

I take up this one?’ ”

Black has a reputation for working his catchers hard, trusting them and valuing them.

“This goes back as far as I can remember, as far was what makes a good team,” Black said. “In high school, Shawn

Kaber was a good catcher. His dad, was the driver’s-ed teacher at Mark Morris High in Longview, Washington.

“But what I am saying is that you have to have a good catcher if you are going to have a winning team.”

Hanigan, who has played 611 games in the majors and caught two no-hitters for Cincinnati’s Homer Bailey, relishes his dirty job.

“I like working back there, working a staff, especially young pitchers,” he said before going out to catch Jon Gray in the

Rockies’ 6-3 victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday night. “At the end of the day, working the bullpen, working the game, is the most important job of a catcher. I take a lot of pride in that.”

Spotlight on: Zack Cozart, SS, Reds

What’s up: Maybe Zack Cozart will ride into Coors Field on a donkey when the Reds open a four-game series against the

Rockies on Monday. In case you missed it, teammate Joey Votto, the Reds’ slugging first baseman, promised to buy

Cozart a donkey if Cozart gets a starting spot in the All-Star Game. “I don’t know why I like donkeys so much,” Cozart recently told MLB Network Radio. “Maybe because they look like they’re real chill.” On Wednesday, Votto made one final push before all-star voting closed. Votto dressed in a donkey costume and held up a sign that read: “Vote Cozart,” during an interview on the field at Great American Ball Park. Cozart stood next to him with a T-shirt that read, “Life is better with a donkey.”

Background: Cozart, 31, is having a career year, even though the Reds entered the weekend in last place in the National

League Central with a 33-45 record. He was scheduled to come off the 10-day disabled list the weekend after suffering a strained quadriceps. With a batting line of .320/.404/.562, Cozart held a lead of more than 250,000 votes over Los

Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, but Seager was closing the gap as voting closed Thursday night. 17

Saunders’ take: Cozart is one of the best fielding shortstops in the National League, but he has never been a great hitter

— until this season. He’s a career .252 hitter with a .700 OPS (on-base percentage, plus slugging), but his OPS this season is .966. Rebuilding Cincinnati has a lot of young infield talent in its system, so Cozart could be on the trade block.

The Reds came close to trading him to Seattle last summer before the deal fell through in the final hour. But a trade might not be easy to swing now, because contending teams seem set at shortstop. Meanwhile, Cozart had a change of heart about his possible all-star gift. “I should have started with a Lamborghini,” he told WCOP radio. “But I like donkeys so much, maybe a donkey is my Lamborghini.”

Three up, Three down

UP

1. Dodgers: Team-record, 53-home run month and the winningest June in franchise history make powerful L.A. the NL’s best team.

2. Red Sox: David Price is showing signs of breaking out of his funk, and Boston’s back on top in AL East.

3. Astros: Despite absence of ace Dallas Keuchel, AL’s best team lives deep in the heart of Texas.

DOWN

1. Blue Jays: Patented second-half surge doesn’t seem to be in the offing for Toronto this season.

2. Cubs: Have dipped below the .500 mark 17 times this season as World Series hangover continues.

3. Phillies: Worst team in the majors might be on this list for the rest of the season.

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Greinke fans 8, leads Diamondbacks over Rockies Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke was in control, the Diamondbacks got extra bases on seven of their eight hits and Chase Field was nearly filled to capacity -- quite a Saturday night for Arizona.

Greinke struck out eight in seven strong innings to lead the Diamondbacks over the 6-2, ending their three-game skid.

Greinke allowed two runs and three hits, one of those being Trevor Story's two-out, two-run homer in the seventh to make it a one-run game. But the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.

"I felt good. I didn't want to start getting behind guys all of a sudden. They hit some pitches that if they hit them, I give them credit for the most part," Greinke said.

David Peralta doubled twice and drove in two runs for the Diamondbacks, who have not lost more than three consecutive games this season.

The Rockies, one night after stopping an eight-game losing streak, lost their ninth game in the past 10. Tyler

Chatwood (6-9) pitched into the seventh inning but allowed four earned runs and seven hits, striking out six with three walks.

Daniel Descalso led off the first with a hustle triple, a wide throw to third base allowing him to slide in safely. Peralta's ground ball to the right side then gave the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, Paul Goldschmidt laced a triple into the right field corner to open the inning. With one out, Chris Owings lined a double just inside the left field line to score Goldschmidt, and a wild pitch by Chatwood allowed Owings to score to make it 3-0.

Owings' double gave him four consecutive games with an extra-base hit, matching a career high.

Chatwood's of Jeff Mathis to start the fifth was the 400th of his career.

"I don't feel like my line was a reflection of how I pitched, but that is going to happen sometimes," Chatwood said.

The Rockies made it 3-2, with Story's fourth career home run off Greinke in 21 career at-bats.

The seventh started with an error to allow the Diamondbacks' Rey Fuentes to reach. Mathis, with only seven RBI going in, tripled in Fuentes; pinch-hitter Ketel Marte hit a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 lead; and Peralta doubled in Marte.

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Fernando Rodney got the game's final two outs for his 21st save and has a career-best 11 straight hitless outings.

HOT POTATO

In the third, Chatwood caught a line drive off Greinke's bat that was hit so hard, it knocked the glove off Chatwood's hand.

The ball fell out, but Chatwood recovered in time to pick up the ball and throw out Greinke at first base.

ROTATION SET FOR L.A.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo named his starting rotation for a key division series with the first-place Los Angeles

Dodgers that starts Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. It'll be left-hander Patrick Corbin, right-hander Zack Godley and lefty .

"Just to split up the lefties," Lovullo said. "We just felt like ... going left-right-left wasn't going to give (the Dodgers) a similar look back-to-back days, or allow guys to play back-to-back days and get in a good rhythm. It just made good baseball sense to split those two guys up."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: CF A.J. Pollock (groin) was set to play for Triple-A Reno in El Paso on Saturday, but the game was rained out and he will play Sunday. ... OF Yasmany Tomas (groin) was removed from his rookie-league rehab game with general tightness, Lovullo said, and an update will be provided when Tomas reports to Chase Field for an evaluation on Sunday.

Rockies: 2B DJ LeMahieu (groin strain) did not play Saturday, but is very close to a return and avoiding the DL.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP German Marquez (5-4) will be facing Arizona for the fourth time this season. He's coming off a loss at San

Francisco in which he allowed five runs and seven hits in four innings.

Diamondbacks: RHP Taijuan Walker (6-3) is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last four starts, and will be facing Colorado for the third time this season.

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Baseball's 2017 defensive all-stars Scott Spratt Special to ESPN.com

The 2017 MLB season has featured some incredible offensive storylines, with perhaps none as compelling as the power breakouts of rookie sensations Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. As the calendar flips to July and Judge, Bellinger and other great hitters receive their due attention in the All-Star festivities, Baseball Info Solutions (BIS) wants to put some of that spotlight on the best defensive performers of the first half. To do so, I've put together my list of defensive all-stars based on a combination of defensive runs saved (DRS) -- BIS's comprehensive estimate of player defensive value on a scale of runs that he saved or cost his team -- its component statistics and my own opinions as a detailed follower of the sport. I've selected just one player per position, so the following players are truly the best of the best glove men.

Second base: DJ LeMahieu

Colorado Rockies | 8 DRS

During his peak performance on defense from 2013 to 2014, DJ LeMahieu was in the mix for being the best defensive second baseman in baseball, but he was always just out of reach of more famous players like Dustin Pedroia and Kinsler.

This season, that could change. LeMahieu is having a defensive renaissance, currently leading all second basemen in

DRS. In addition, his team is also on track for its first playoff berth since 2009, which should draw a few more eyeballs on

LaMahieu's performance.

LeMahieu's best attribute is his sure-handedness, having saved runs making good fielding plays (GFPs) and avoiding defensive misplays and errors (DMEs) in six of his seven seasons. He also excels making plays up the middle, where he tends to make strong and accurate throws even when he's on the ground or his momentum is taking him away from first base. He has saved six plays above average on balls hit up the middle this season.

Third base: Nolan Arenado

Colorado Rockies | 15 DRS

Arenado's Good Fielding Plays

SEASON GFP RANK AT 3B

2013 76 2

2014 64 2

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Arenado's Good Fielding Plays

SEASON GFP RANK AT 3B

2015 74 1

2016 75 1

2017 31 1

Colorado's second representative on our defensive All-Star team is probably its least surprising member. Arenado is more firmly entrenched as the game's best defensive third baseman than any other player is at his position. He is also really fun to watch, especially if you like web gems. After a pair of second-place finishes on the good fielding plays leaderboard in his rookie and sophomore seasons -- which he accomplished in only 130 and 111 games played, respectively -- he has rattled off three consecutive seasons with the most GFPs among third basemen. Those GFPs tend to be unexpected outs on ground balls, many of which are on lunges and dives.

Pitcher: Tyler Chatwood

Colorado Rockies | 6 DRS

There are several pitchers bunched together at the top of the DRS leaderboard, including three-time reigning Fielding

Bible Award winner Dallas Keuchel with five runs saved. Rather than select those options, many of which are established names like Keuchel, I think Chatwood deserves recognition for the defensive season he's putting together. Chatwood separates himself from pitchers like Keuchel and Mike Leake -- who have saved the bulk of their runs this season on batted balls -- by contributing on all aspects of pitcher defense we measure: ranging to make plays, defending bunts, making good plays and avoiding misplays, and preventing the opposing running game. Chatwood has been especially good on that last point, having allowed just four successful stolen bases against five caught-stealing attempts and two pickoffs. He's one of just 11 right-handed pitchers with two or more pickoffs this season.

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Zack Greinke was awesome, the Rockies were not, the series is tied By Drew Creasman on July 1, 2017 | BSN Denver

Zack Greinke was just too good on Saturday night in Phoenix.

The hardest hit ball the Rockies managed off of Greinke until the seventh came in the first off the bat of Raimel Tapia who drove a curveball to the warning track in right center for an out.

The Diamondbacks got on the board with some good execution and some good fortune from Daniel Descalso. He stretched a line drive in the pull gap into a triple but would have been thrown out at third if not for the tough angle leading to the ball hitting him in the back. The lead-off triple meant that a groundout from David Peralta could score the first run of the game. Chatwood walked Paul Goldschmidt but induced a double play ball from Jake Lamb, meaning ultimately that

Descalso hustle paid off.

Colorado wouldn’t get a base runner against Greinke until Mike Tauchmanlegged out a single to lead off the third. He managed to move up on a ball in the dirt before an out was recorded but a strikeout by Tony Wolters and groundouts from

Chatwood and Charlie Blackmon stranded him at third.

Arizona got another pair of runs in the fourth, starting again with a lead-off triple. This time it was Paul Goldschmidt who appeared to just be trying to foul a pitch off, but it hit it just inside the right field foul line and Raimel Tapia misplayed it allowing the Diamondbacks star to reach third. The Rockies brought the infield in but it wouldn’t matter as Chris

Owings ripped a double down the left field line. He then moved to third on a Brandon Drury groundout and scored on a two-out wild pitch, something that has absolutely killed the Rockies the past two weeks.

In the seventh, the Rockies finally got to Greinke, getting a line drive single from Nolan Arenado and an off-balance, one- hand, two-strike-after-a-nonsense-call home run from Trevor Story. It was Story’s eighth home run in Arizona and fourth off of Greinke and suddenly the Rockies had life in a one-run game at 3-2.

Unfortunately for the young shortstop, he immediately made an error in the bottom of the frame allowing Rey Fuentes to reach first base. And the inning spiraled out of control from there.

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Fuentes came in to score on a triple by Jeff Mathis over the head of Blackmon in center field. Mathis came in on a sac fly from Ketel Marte on a flyball to left that was dropped by rookie Mike Tauchman who is still in his first week in MLB. Marte was able to reach second on the error and come in to score on a double to left from Peralta that made it 6-2 and chased

Chatwood from the game.

At times, the Rockies starter looked pretty good but just gave up too much hard contact, surrendering seven hits over six and one-third innings, giving up six runs though just four of them earned while striking out six.

Scott Oberg inherited a bases loaded, one-out situation and got a pair of pop outs to prevent any further damage. He also completed the eighth, working around a double from Gregor Blanco.

Tapia and Arenado threatened a ninth inning rally but were stranded out there in another lackluster performance from the

Rockies offense.

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