Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Rockies report: Wells signs with Royals

By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 18, 2008 at 8:15 p.m.

Text size  
After sweeping Nationals over the weekend, the Rockies visit one of the teams above them in the National League West.

Video Video: After sweeping Nationals over the weekend, the Rockies visit one of the teams above them in the National League West. Watch »

Numbers Game

24 hits allowed by reliever Matt Herges in 111/3 innings while being scored upon in seven of his past 10 outings, allowing 14 runs, all earned, in that span for an 11.12 ERA.

Related Links

More Colorado Rockies

More stories »

Righty Kip Wells, released by the Rockies last week, has agreed to join the Kansas City Royals, where he will initially work in the bullpen, but could wind up with a chance to start. Wells, sidelined from April 30 through July 22 with a blood clot in his right hand, went 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA with the Rockies. Despite a $3.1 million salary, the Rockies released Wells to make room for Livan Hernandez.

GOING DEEP

The Rockies have totaled 17 home runs while homering in 11 of their past 12 games, including a season-high 10 straight Aug.5 through Friday. Ian Stewart and Brad Hawpe each has hit four homers, followed by Chris Iannetta and Matt Holliday with two each and Yorvit Torrealba, Garrett Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki, Clint Barmes and Seth Smith with one apiece.

ON THE RISE

Hawpe, who has hit four homers in his past seven games, is batting a season-high .294. He has a hit in five straight games and seven of his past eight, going 15-for-32 (.469) in that span with three doubles, four homers, 10 RBI and five runs.

Hawpe was hitting .245 on July 4 after going hitless in his third consecutive game. But in 38 games beginning July 5, Hawpe is batting .439 (54-for-123) with 10 homers, 33 RBI and 23 runs.

ETC.

Greg Reynolds started Sunday for Triple-A Colorado Springs and pitched 41/3 scoreless innings. Reynolds, who had been sidelined with a right shoulder impingement, was on a 65-pitch limit and threw 64 pitches in his first outing since July 22. ... Matt Holliday has gone hitless in consecutive games for the first time since July 11-12 and the second time since May 10-11. ... Willy Taveras has gone 18-for-19 in attempting to steal third base this season. ... Aaron Cook will pitch Saturday. He could have started Friday on normal rest, with the Rockies off Monday, but after a taxing five innings Sunday at Washington, Cook will work with one additional day of rest. He'll again square off with Cincinnati ace Edinson Volquez. They were the pitchers of record July 25 in Cincinnati when the Rockies won 7-2. Cook allowed one run in eight innings while Volquez gave up five runs in four innings. ... Chris Iannetta became the first catcher in Rockies history to hit cleanup in consecutive games when he did it last Tuesday and Wednesday. ... Taveras has gone 10-for-19 while getting a hit in five straight games but has scored only one run during that stretch. At .261, Taveras' average is the highest it has been since he was hitting .266 on May 2. ... Rockies pitchers did not allow a home run in the three-game sweep at Washington during the weekend. The previous time they went three straight games without yielding a home run was at Coors Field on July 19-20 against Pittsburgh and July 21 against Los Angeles. The Rockies went a season-high five consecutive games without allowing a homer April 13-18. That stretch included one game at Arizona, three at San Diego and one at Houston. ... Jeff Baker has one hit in his past 15 at-bats and four in his past 47, a slide that has sliced his average from .302 to .263. ... Clint Barmes has two hits in his past 17 at-bats, dropping his average to .288. That's the lowest it has been since May 5 (.280).