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New effort, same result for Rockies

Pinch hit carries Rockies to lead, but Cubs rally late

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 29, 2008 at 9:40 p.m.

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The Cubs' Ryan Theriot slides toward home plate on Aramis Ramirez's double as the Rockies' Yorvit Torrealba fails to corral the throw Thursday at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs won 8-4.

Photo by Scott Stewart / Associated Press

The Cubs' Ryan Theriot slides toward home plate on Aramis Ramirez's double as the Rockies' Yorvit Torrealba fails to corral the throw Thursday at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs won 8-4.

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Clint Hurdle has been a man of patience in his six years as manager of the Rockies.

But that is in a big-picture view.

With the struggles of the Rockies of late, Hurdle showed his feeling of a need of urgency Thursday night.

Not that it mattered.

Using back-to-back pinch hitters in the sixth inning, including one for starting pitcher Jeff Francis, Hurdle saw the Rockies create a momentary hope before the Chicago Cubs rallied for an 8-4 victory at Wrigley Field, extending the Rockies' road losing streak to nine games.

Fresh from being swept in a three-game visit to Philadelphia, where the defending National League champions were outscored 33-10, the Rockies actually cashed in on that sixth-inning opportunity against the Cubs.

They took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh when an errant throw by Rockies reliever Matt Herges fueled a two-run rally that allowed the Cubs to lay claim to the best record in the majors (33-21).

That's the kind of season it has been for the Rockies, who slipped 14 games below .500 for the first time since 2006.

"It's frustrating for everyone involved," Hurdle said. "We had plenty of opportunities on the offensive side of the ball. We had an out on the bases again. And we had some plays we could have made in the field. . . . There has been that little rock in the shoe. If we make the plays (defensively). . . . If we had better at-bats early in the game. . . ."

But the Rockies didn't. The seasonlong troubles with runners in scoring position continued, the Rockies going 2-for-17 in clutch situations, dropping their worst-in-baseball scoring position average to .230.

There were three more hitless at-bats for Garrett Atkins, who is hitting 185 points lower with men in scoring position (.194) than he is without a runner on second and/or third (.379). And two for Ryan Spilborghs, who doubled and singled in the two innings he led off but couldn't come through in either of the times he came up with a runner in scoring position and two out.

"We have to get it together," Hurdle said. "We have to keep working to get opportunities, and we have to cash in on them when we do get them."

As it was, the Rockies' one big hit was a bit of luck.

After Jeff Baker, hitting for Francis with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth, struck out, Willy Taveras, hitting for Scott Podsednik, sliced a liner that was headed foul, but Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee reached for the ball and had it go off his glove for a two-run single.

Rookie Ian Stewart couldn't even fully enjoy his first three-hit game in the majors - coming up a home run short of hitting for the cycle.

He was left to wonder what might have happened had he not taken off full speed from second on Omar Quintanilla's sinking line drive that hung up and allowed Stewart to be doubled off second to end the seventh.

And he rued that over-the- shoulder catch he couldn't make on a pop up off the bat of Alfonso Soriano that led off what became the go-ahead, two-run seventh.

"That's one of the plays I love to make," said Stewart, a third baseman by trade who was playing his third pro game at second.

"I make that all the time at third base. It's a play I should have made."

But Stewart didn't, just like Herges didn't make a clean throw on Lee's nubber, allowing Soriano to score the tying run and setting up Geovany Soto's go-ahead sacrifice fly. And just like Taylor Buchholz's errant throw on a Reed Johnson sacrifice bunt in the eight set the stage for the Cubs' final two runs.

And Francis still didn't have the type of effort that had him feeling comfortable that he has regained the 17-win abilities of a year ago.

Oh, he got Lee out for the first time ever - a flyball in the first and a strikeout in the fifth. In between, Lee lined a home run to left, his seventh hit in nine career at-bats against Francis.

Francis also gave up an RBI double to Aramis Ramirez in the first and an RBI single to Reed Johnson in the fourth. Francis said he benefited from defensive support more than quality pitches, and he didn't hide the concerns about the Rockies' plight.

"We know the record reflects the way we have played," Francis said. "We know we haven't played the way we can. That's the disappointment."

Key moment: With the Rockies leading 4-3, the Cubs had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh. Derrek Lee then hit a slow roller to the left of the mound. With Alfonso Soriano having to hold at third, right-handed reliever Matt Herges fielded the ball and threw wild to first. Not only did Soriano score, but Ryan Theriot eventually came home on a Geovany Soto sacrifice fly that would have been the third out of the inning but instead gave the Cubs a 5-4 lead.

Key player: Second baseman Ian Stewart couldn't get the Rockies a victory, but he did the best he could do. He went 3-for-5 with a single, double and triple, scoring two runs and driving in a third. He had only three hits in his 14 at-bats since being called up Saturday before the game against the Mets.

Key stat: 23 wins in 31 home games for the Cubs, the most home victories in the majors. Atlanta is 22-7 at home, Boston 21-5 and Tampa Bay 21-9.

ETC.

Right fielder Brad Hawpe (strained right hamstring) is traveling with the Rockies and expects to go on a medical rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday. That would give him three games of at-bats before he is eligible to be activated for next week's series against the Brewers at Coors Field. Hawpe said Thursday he is running at 100 percent without any problem. . . . The Cubs called up left-hander Neal Cotts, who had a 2.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 27 innings for Triple-A Iowa, and sent down right-hander Jose Ascanio, who had allowed one run in five innings. The Cubs wanted another left-hander in the bullpen. . . . Thursday was the 12th time in 64 games at Wrigley Field the Rockies have played a night game. . . . Stewart never played second base at Colorado Springs, but "when I was sent down, (Rockies manager) Clint (Hurdle) told me to keep working at second and taking flyballs in the outfield so if the opportunity came I'd be ready." Stewart made his third consecutive start at second base Thursday. He also has started two games at third base. . . . Right-hander Taylor Buchholz had been unscored upon in eight appearances before giving up three runs and not retiring a batter in the eighth inning Thursday.

PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS

A day later, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said rookie right-hander Greg Reynolds might have seen so much of the Philadelphia lineup in the first two games of the Rockies series that by the time Reynolds pitched Wednesday, he tried to do too much.

And as a result, the strike-throwing 2006 first-round draft pick issued eight walks in 51/3 innings. One walk was intentional, but Reynolds was behind 2-0 in the count before the intentional walk was ordered.

Hurdle said Reynolds might have thought, " 'I have to be Superman and pitch outside myself.' I told him to look at the tape and an honest evaluation will be his best friend. He has to pitch like he can pitch. That's what got him here."

NUMBERS GAME

55 first-inning runs allowed by the Rockies, tops in the majors. Houston is second, having allowed 50, with Philadelphia at 47.

SIDELINED AGAIN

Right-hander Shane Lindsay, a top prospect in the Rockies system, broke a hand and will be out six to eight weeks, according to reports out of Modesto, Calif., where Lindsay was pitching for the Rockies' High Single-A minor league affiliate. Lindsay missed all of last season because of right shoulder surgery. He was limited to 13 games in 2006 because of the shoulder problem.

Comments

  • May 29, 2008

    11:45 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    rockiesfaninboiseidaho writes:

    It's over. Get rid of Odowd. Its pretty sad when the column above states " the Rockies are now a season high 14 games under .500 since 2006!!! 2006, not even two seasons ago. Same old Rockies.

  • May 30, 2008

    5:28 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GeeTee writes:

    I'm a big fan of the Rockies and will certainly contunue to root for them and follow them, but it is getting difficult to justify paying higher ticket prices this season for the privilege of seeing their hapless efforts in person.

  • May 30, 2008

    6:43 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Firefox writes:

    I agree with GeeTee I will continue to support but not at the ball field. At least for the players a bad day at the ball field is better than a good day at work.

  • May 30, 2008

    6:57 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    boydy2669 writes:

    This team is REALLY BAD. They had the chance to pick up some good pitching, but they did not relying on the hitting we saw last year which was more lightening in a bottle then the development of a great hitting team.
    The pitching is the worst in the league, and the batting is only marginally better.
    Last year was a fluke, these are our real Rockies and Hurdle and the organization are being seen in their REAL light.....both out of touch and lacking any foesight or planning skills.
    This is very sad, but I think a lot of us saw it coming.
    Keep fighting Rockies, but this is like watching a train wreck!

  • May 30, 2008

    7:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SwolOne writes:

    Why does Bob Apodaca still have a job?

  • May 30, 2008

    7:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    piaresquared writes:

    How can this team blow the opportunity they had? This is not a team in transition. This is a team that should be kicking in the door. Clint Hurdle and your coaches--you know players need motivation so where was the off season conditioning to keep players from getting hurt? Where were the intensive pitching clinics to get the young starters ready? You've failed in this regard and for that YOU'RE FIRED! GM O'Dowd--it was obvious the team needed a dominant closer and quality lefty starter but you kicked back and refused to swing a deal? You have failed--CLEAN OUT YOUR DESK!

  • May 30, 2008

    10:20 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TONEtheBONE writes:

    This team has no fire. Can you imagine if Ozzie Guillen came in here and ran the Rockies? You would have guys like Hawpe and Francis running out of the dugout in tears. Im not saying get a bunch of Jose Guillens (or maybe they should) but the Rockies need to show some emotion on the field, not just Holliday arguing a called strike. They need a leader, someone to show some frustration over how bad they are playing. You definitely arent going to get that from soft spoken Todd. Maybe they should get a Jose Guillen, at least he cares. Nice guys finish last.

  • May 30, 2008

    11:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    discer writes:

    Patience is what is needed now! The team started out poorly and things only got worse as people were injured. All of this is probably going to fall on Hurdle eventually. He pushed all the right buttons last year but was out-managed in the series and seems to be pushing all of the wrong buttons this year. You can't fire the whole team and I would think it prudent to wait until the end of the season before trading any of the young talent. Youth is the key here as the Rocks are still relatively young. In the meantime while we are waiting for the injured players to heal we will see about Reynolds, Smith, Stewart and others. Long time fans who are in it for the long term understand that nothing is gained by a knee-jerk reaction to this problem. Patience is the key.