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Rockies' Koshansky takes his shot in win

First baseman makes most of his opportunity

By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 17, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.

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Ian Stewart throws out Edgar Gonzalez in the seventh inning of the Rockies' 1-0 win at Coors Field.

Photo by David Zalubowski / Associated Press

Ian Stewart throws out Edgar Gonzalez in the seventh inning of the Rockies' 1-0 win at Coors Field.

The Rockies' Joe Koshansky is congratulated by teammate Dexter Fowler after hitting a solo home run against the Padres in the fourth inning Wednesday afternoon.

Photo by David Zalubowski / Associated Press

The Rockies' Joe Koshansky is congratulated by teammate Dexter Fowler after hitting a solo home run against the Padres in the fourth inning Wednesday afternoon.

Keys to the game

* Moment: Joe Koshansky, who had not started since he rejoined the Rockies on Sept. 2, homered with two out in the fourth, driving Josh Geer's 3-2 fastball over the fence in center field. It was Koshansky's third homer this season with the Rockies. He hit 31 at Triple-A Colorado Springs and led all of minor league baseball in RBI, with 121.

* Player: Livan Hernandez, making his seventh start with the Rockies, pitched five scoreless innings and won for the first time in five starts since Aug. 16 at Washington. Hernandez allowed three singles and allowed one batter to reach second base. That was with two out in the fourth when he hit Kevin Kouzmanoff with a pitch and walked Chase Headley before Nick Hundley flied to center field.

* Stat: 22 consecutive stolen bases for Matt Holliday, a streak that ended when he was caught stealing second in the first as Brad Hawpe struck out. Holliday, who is 27-for-29 in stolen-base attempts, last was caught April 29 at San Francisco. That also came as Hawpe struck out, resulting in a double play to end an inning.

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First baseman Joe Koshansky knows he might be next, the latest slugging prospect whose path to the Rockies is blocked by Todd Helton.

Koshansky saw first baseman Ryan Shealy, who was one level ahead of Koshansky in the minor leagues, in much the same situation before the Rockies traded Shealy to Kansas City in July 2006. He knows Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe were first basemen, forced to other positions because of Helton's presence.

And with two minor league options remaining, Koshansky, 26, realizes moving on to another organization might enhance his career.

"Maybe that's the best thing, but who knows yet?" Koshansky said. "It's one of those things where it's kind of out of my hands, so I try not to dwell on it too much and, hopefully, it works out for everybody."

Koshansky was commenting on his career path Wednesday after his home run in the fourth inning gave the Rockies a 1-0 victory against the San Diego Padres in the rubber game of their three- game series. It was the seventh 1- 0 game in the history of Coors Field but the third this season and the second in four games.

Capitalizing on an opportunity, Livan Hernandez pitched five scoreless innings, starting in place of Jeff Francis, whose inflamed left shoulder has ended his season. Three relievers followed Hernandez and carried the game to closer Brian Fuentes. He retired the side in order in the ninth inning, striking out the final two batters to earn his 28th save.

Fuentes is 15-for-15 in save situations since July 3. During that stretch, he has allowed two earned runs in 272/3 innings for a 0.65 ERA with eight walks and 48 strikeouts, an average of 15.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

"This is the best he's ever pitched for us since he's been here, in my opinion," Hurdle said. "And it's very black and white for me, if you watch him. His fastball command has never been this good. He's covering both sides of the plate. He's throwing strikes. He's ahead in counts. The slider is very, very effective.

"You look at the way his strikeouts per innings has just spiked the second half of the season. So it's strike one and then he's just going and cutting them up."

Koshansky, recalled Sept. 2 by the Rockies, mostly has gone to the indoor batting cage to take practice swings and get ready during games - for an opportunity that seldom arose. He appeared in four games before Wednesday, batting three times as a pinch hitter and once Tuesday after entering the Rockies' blowout win in the eighth.

After Helton was sidelined because of a back injury in early July, the Rockies promoted Koshansky. He was with them July 4-21, going 4-for-22 in nine games, including six starts, before returning to the Sky Sox and continuing his Pacific Coast League rampage.

Koshansky reached .300 on his final at-bat, hit 31 home runs and led the minor leagues in RBI, with 121. In addition to a .380 on-base percentage and a .600 slugging percentage, the left-handed hitting Koshansky batted .302 in 116 at-bats against left-handed pitchers and .299 in 341 at-bats against right-handers.

One of those right-handers was Padres starter Josh Geer, who spent much of the season with Triple-A Portland and was making his fourth big-league start, his second against the Rockies.

"The fact that I've seen this guy before on a couple occasions, that takes a little pressure off," Ko shansky said. "I kind of know what he's offering, and I kind of revert back to my previous at-bats against him."

With two out in the fourth, Geer threw a 3-2 fastball, albeit not in the intended location, and Koshansky hit his third homer this season for the Rockies and first since July 9.

"I had a pretty good swing on 3- 1," Koshansky said, referring to a fastball he fouled off. "He just left a fastball up and out over the plate, and I squared it up."

Before the game, Hurdle said there was no reason to have Ko- shansky in the majors this month without giving him a start. And after the victory, Hurdle said, "We haven't forgotten about him. It's a tough fit right now."

And maybe a tougher fit, as far as Koshansky's future in the Rockies organization goes. He hit .295 at Colorado Springs in 2007 with 21 homers and 99 RBI and then followed that up with an even bigger season. Assuming Helton is ready to play next season, does Koshansky return to the Sky Sox in 2009 or does he possibly figure in the Rockies' plans?

"I have no idea, just play it by ear and see what happens," Ko- shansky said after his first start for the Rockies since July 18. "It's part of the game. We'll just see how things play out."

Comments

  • September 17, 2008

    4:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    "Fuentes is 15-for-15 in save situations in 28 games since July 3. During that stretch, Fuentes has a 0.65 ERA, having allowed two earned runs in 27 2/3 innings."

    Yeah, anybody can come in & fill B-Fuent's shoes. They guy is a stud, & well worth the $10-$12mil a year, or whatever he wants. Next to K-Rod, he'll probably be the most sought after reliever on the market. Brothers Monfort, do the right thing, please. Our market is only as small as you choose to make it, boys. We are willing to fill that stadium every night, but you guys have to show us you're going to put it back into the team.

  • September 17, 2008

    4:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SDcat writes:

    word..arvada_mark :) Total and complete word! Nicely said!!

  • September 18, 2008

    8:57 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    1somelikeithot writes:

    Dino Costa would say "BIGS, leave me the f alone"!!!!!!!