DENVER — A successful homestand ended with a 4-1 loss to the Astros on Wednesday afternoon wherein the Rockies had two hits, however it additionally completed with an excellent impression — C.J. Cron crushing a house run to heart discipline within the backside of the ninth.
With the Rockies at 37-59, typically one thing poor would be the lasting impression. For instance, ask anybody about successful two of three from the Angels on June 23-25, and so they’re extra more likely to keep in mind the 25-1 loss within the center sport of that three-game set. The optics of that loss buried the truth of the sequence.
Cron helped the optics on Wednesday. Had he gone down like so many others, it might have been simply the ninth one-hit shutout in Coors Subject historical past, the fifth by an opponent. That history-making feat might have overshadowed going 3-2 towards the Yankees and the defending World Collection champion Astros popping out of the All-Star break.
“Towards the Yankees, we performed effectively, pitched effectively,” mentioned Rockies supervisor Bud Black, whose crew will journey to Miami and Washington beginning Friday. “This sequence, we pitched effectively. We didn’t hit right now. Simply hold plugging alongside. That’s the mantra.”
With that sober evaluation, let’s take a look at three takeaways from Wednesday:
1. Cron is heating up … and what time of yr it’s
The homer off Ryan Pressly was Cron’s third up to now 4 video games and fourth in his previous 9.
“He’s doing it off good pitchers,” Black famous. “[Clay] Holmes for the Yankees — homer, grand slam. Pressly, All-Star, homer. He’s beginning to swing the bat just a little higher.”
Cron missed 39 video games with a again harm. In 16 video games since his return, he’s slashing .309/.345/.564 with 4 homers, two doubles, 9 RBIs and simply 9 strikeouts in 55 at-bats.
Whereas Cron admitted he can “nonetheless really feel it each occasionally, however it’s manageable,” the 33-year-old is transferring simpler at first base, and he’s swinging with out inhibitions.
“I have been round lengthy sufficient to comprehend it might flip on a dime, on a swap, so I do not actually put an excessive amount of inventory into whether or not I am going good or dangerous,” Cron mentioned. “I simply belief in my method and keep on with my sport plan, attempt to [have] skilled at-bats. And no matter occurs after that occurs.”
The Rockies took unwitting criticism for not dealing Cron at the very least yr’s Commerce Deadline. His contract was club-friendly, however his .083 batting common within the 9 video games from the All-Star break to the tip of July was not contender-friendly. However Cron’s latest efficiency might appeal to calls to common supervisor Invoice Schmidt because the Aug. 1 Commerce Deadline approaches.
2. Gomber’s win streak ends, however he beneficial properties from expertise
Starter Austin Gomber leaped angrily and yelled into his shirt and glove after yielding a two-run sixth-inning homer to Chas McCormick for a 4-0 deficit. However it was the scream of a person who appreciated the offensive effectivity of the defending World Collection champs.
“I used to be so annoyed on the finish there, as a result of I felt like I had actually great things and made a whole lot of actually good pitches — and so they have been simply higher,” mentioned Gomber, who was charged with 4 runs on eight hits, with 5 strikeouts. “If you really feel such as you gave it a extremely good effort and nonetheless got here out on the quick finish, that is the place the frustration was.”
Twice the Astros hit leadoff doubles — Jake Meyers within the third and Kyle Tucker within the sixth. Each occasions, the runner moved with a productive out and scored on a single.
Gomber famous that when he reviewed pitches that have been hit, some have been the place he needed them. He didn’t suppose the homer was a poor pitch, however McCormick was pondering forward of him.
“Despite the fact that I gave up extra runs right now, I felt higher than I did final trip,” Gomber mentioned. “I am trying ahead to going out once more.”
3. Rockies hope for excellent news on Bryant
After all, the 2023 Rockies are at all times both coping with harm or hoping for excellent news. On Wednesday, Kris Bryantwho had homered in three of the previous 9 video games, was hit within the left wrist/forearm space by a pitch from Brandon Bielak, who tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings and has thrown 12 2/3 scoreless frames in two successful begins towards Colorado.
However Black mentioned X-rays didn’t reveal a break, so Bryant, who stayed within the sport till the highest of the eighth, must be prepared for Miami.
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Printed : 2023-07-20 00:26:57
