Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain. Dallas’ Doomsday Defense. Chicago’s Monsters of the Midway. L.A.’s Fearsome Foursome.
Make way for Colorado’s Purple Rally Killers.
On a Sunday afternoon when elite defense was paramount, the Rockies delivered a 3-1 victory to complete a three-game sweep of the defending World Series champion Rangers at Coors Field. Colorado limited the Rangers to six runs over the series.
“It was fantastic defense,” said Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle, who dislodged a section of padding in the center-field wall with his grab-and-smash web gem in the fifth inning.
“I was speechless out there on those infield plays today by ‘B-Rod’ and ‘Tovie,’ ” Doyle said, referring to plays by second baseman Brendan Rodgers and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. “We are going to win a lot of games if we keep playing defense like that.”
After the Rockies won their fourth in a row for their first win streak of the season, manager Bud Black was jazzed.
“When plays like that are made, it so energizing and uplifting and awesome,” he said. “We played excellent, excellent defense this series, and today was arguably one of the best defensive games I’ve seen.”
The Rockies had only seven hits, the biggest coming from Tovar, who lifted a sky-high, two-run homer over the left-field wall off Jose Urena in the first inning. But Tovar’s fourth homer of the season turned out to be enough. The homer came off Tovar’s bat with a 44-degree launch angle.
“Honestly, with those kinds of balls, with the height that it had, I thought it was going to curve foul,” Tovar said.
Colorado added an insurance run in the eighth, combining a leadoff double by Ryan McMahon with three consecutive one-out walks off Jonathan Hernández. Doyle’s patient at-bat drew the third walk, earning him an RBI.
Texas hinted at big innings multiple times, but Colorado’s defense was pure platinum. To wit:
• In the second inning, second baseman Rodgers made a heads-up play on Andrew Knizner’s grounder. Rather than throw out Knizner at first base, Rodger trapped lead runner Robbie Grossman in a rundown between second and third for the second out of the inning.
• In the third, McMahon, playing Gold Glove defense at third base, made an over-the-head catch in foul territory far down the left-field line to retire Corey Seager.
• In the fourth, Adolis Garcia’s hot shot back to the mound caromed off the toe of left-hander Ty Blach but was deftly fielded by Tovar at short for the first out of the inning.
• In the fifth, the Rangers rapped out three hits but came up empty. Colorado turned a sweet 6-4-3 double play, with Tovar flipping the ball to Rodgers, who barehanded the ball at second and threw a one-hopper to first to nab Knizner. With two outs, the Rangers got back-to-back singles from Leody Taveras and Marcus Semien, but Doyle chased down Seager’s long blast to make a brilliant catch before denting the wall.
• In the seventh, pinch-hitter Josh Smith smashed a ball to McMahon, who spun to his knees to field it and throw out Smith.
• In the eighth, the Rockies delivered a double shot of brilliance. Tovar went deep into the hole to throw out Semien by a step before Rodgers one-upped Tovar with a diving stop-and-throw on a Seager grounder that looked like a sure single to right field.
Blach, who got a rare start, gave up one run on seven hits over his five innings. But he didn’t walk any batters and was the prime beneficiary of Colorado’s defense.
“All I was going to talk about was our defense,” Blach said. “The plays we made behind me were outstanding. … When you have that going behind you, it just makes it that much easier to pound the zone.
“When you know that guys are going to make plays behind you, you might give up some singles, but that’s OK.”
The Rangers scored their lone run in the first on a two-out single by Garcia to score Semien, who led off the game with a single to center.
“Ty’s a veteran pitcher, and he knows who he is and what he can do with his arsenal,” Black said. “The ball is going to be put in play. He works fast. There are balls on the ground, chances for double plays by our infielders, and they are on their toes. Ty was outstanding today.”
The Rockies, who improved to 9-12 at home, will now play on the road against San Diego on Monday night. The Rockies are 3-16 on the road.
B-Rod’s theft. Rodgers recorded his first career stolen base in his first career attempt in the fourth inning. Rodger’s 352 games before his first stolen base or attempt is the most by any middle infielder in the expansion era (since 1961) and the most by a non-pitcher in franchise history. Rodgers, who hit 2 for 3, extended his hitting streak to a season-high seven games. He’s hit .407 (11 for 27) during the streak.
KB’s rehab. Kris Bryant, who’s been on the injured list since April 14 with a back injury, is scheduled to begin an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque and play in Tuesday’s game with the Isotopes. Black said the plan is for Bryant to join the Rockies in San Francisco starting Friday.
Monday’s pitching matchup
Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-6, 6.35 ERA) at Padres RHP Randy Vasquez (0-1, 4.50)
7:40 p.m. Monday, Petco Park
TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Hudson, the sixth pitcher in Rockies history to lose his first six decisions of a season, will try to avoid being the first to lose his first seven. He hasn’t pitched well in his first season with Colorado, but he’s also lacked run support. Over his first eight starts, he’s received a total eight runs of support. He’s coming off a loss to the Giants at Coors Field in which he allowed four runs on five hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings. He got a no-decision in Colorado’s 10-9 win over San Diego on April 25, allowing a season-high six runs in 3 1/3 innings. Hudson is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA in four career starts vs. the Padres and 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in two career starts at Petco Park.
Vasquez, who’s bounced between the Padres and Triple-A El Paso this season, is coming off a solid start against the Cubs. He allowed one run while striking out six over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision. On April 26, the Rockies hammered Vazquez at Coors Field, scoring four runs on six hits over 2 2/3 inning.
Pitching probables
Tuesday: Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (2-3, 3.94) at Padres RHP Dylan Cease (5-2, 2.19), 7:40 p.m.
Wednesday: Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (0-2, 3.43) at Padres RHP Michael King (3-3, 3.67), 2:10 p.m.
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