Coors Field in Denver, Colo. (Photo courtesy of Gtj82/Wikimedia Commons)
The Rockies opened up their 2015 season Monday with a three-game series in Milwaukee. The CUI’s Justin Guerriero takes a look at what went down.
The Rockies started the season strong by sweeping the Brewers in three games. For a team that went 21-60 on the road last year, an early series win away from Coors Field is a good start for the team.
Game 1: Rockies, 10, Brewers, 0: The Rockies combined for 16 total hits in Monday’s pummeling of the Brewers. After RBI doubles by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and third baseman Nolan Arenado, outfielder Corey Dickerson hit a two-run bomb to right field that gave the Rockies a 4-0 lead in the first inning. They hit cruise control after that and never looked back on their way to an easy victory. The win was supported by a solid start from Kyle Kendrick, who went seven innings, allowing seven hits and striking out six while walking none.
Positives: Tulo and GarGo combined to hit 5-of-9, with an RBI and a run scored apiece. Arenado had himself a day, going 3-of-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Six Rockies with multiple hits, backed by Kendrick’s strong outing, led to a very pretty team victory.
Negatives: Although it’s hard find complaints in a blowout win, reigning NL batting champion Justin Morneau went 0-of-5 in the first game of the season.
Game 2: Rockies 5, Brewers, 2: Pitcher Jordan Lyles held the Brewers to two runs over six innings to earn the win for the Rockies in the second game of the series. He was aided by a three-run fourth inning that featured back-to-back RBI doubles by Arenado and Dickerson and a single by catcher Nick Hundley that scored Dickerson. The Rockies added one more in the fifth off of a Tulo RBI single that scored CarGo. Gonzalez batted in Hundley in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly.
Positives: Although the Rockies continued their hit-fest in this game (12 total hits, six doubles), pitching was key in this game. Lyles is expected to be a key part of the Rockies’ rotation this season, and after a killer Spring Training where he posted a 2.01 ERA over seven games, anticipation is even higher. The Rockies’ bullpen was a disaster last season. To see Boone Logan pitch a scoreless seventh, Adam Ottavino a scoreless eighth, and LaTroy Hawkins earn the save with a scoreless ninth is a good sign.
Negatives: Outfielder Charlie Blackmon went 0-of-4, and is is 1-of-14 to start the season.
Game 3: Rockies 5, Brewers 4 (10 innings): The Rockies won the final game of their opening series in extra innings to sweep the Brewers. For the first time in the series, Milwaukee opened up the scoring. Adam Lind hit a two-run shot off of Rockies’ starter Eddie Butler. But Colorado answered in the fifth inning when second baseman DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI single up the middle to score Arenado. Dickerson hit a solo home run in the seventh, and CarGo followed with a cannonball shot to deep center in the eighth. Hawkins came in to close the game but blew the lead on back-to-back RBI singles to Ryan Braun and Carlos Gomez. Thankfully, the Rockies were able to shake it off and end things quickly. In his first at bat of 2015, Wilin Rosario hit a solo shot to center field to make the score 5-4. Reliever John Axford, a former Brewer, came in and pitched an easy bottom of the tenth to secure the win.
Positives: Another team win. With the exception of Morneau and the pitcher Butler, everyone in the Rockies’ lineup hit safely. This game featured a combined eight extra-base hits (four doubles and four home runs). A display of power early in the season will only mean good things for the Rockies. They got a solid start from Eddie Butler, who had been involved on a rollercoaster ride of a final week of Spring Training, where management went back and forth on giving him a roster spot. But he prevailed and earned his spot with five-and-two-thirds innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits, while walking four and striking out five. The walks were high, but don’t be concerned just yet.
Negatives: Closer LaTroy Hawkins had a shaky Spring Training, and the Brewers got to him in the ninth inning of game three. Luckily, the Rockies were able to answer quickly and win, but if blowing saves becomes a habit, expect Axford to take over the team’s closing role in the future.
The Rockies head back to Coors Field Friday for a three game series with the Chicago Cubs. Tyler Matzek is penciled to start in game one. First pitch is at 2:10 p.m. Mountain Time.
Contact CU Independent Rockies Beat Writer Justin Guerriero at justin.guerriero@colorado.edu and follow him on Twitter @TheHungry_Hippo.
