LOS ANGELES — Jeff Francis’ performance — his fastball command back, his changeup once again baffling batters — was at least a morsel of good news to emerge from the Rockies getting swept in Tinsel Town.
“I’m getting better,” said Francis, still winless in five starts. “But I still couldn’t get out of that one bad inning.”
On a hot day with a first-pitch temperature of 92 degrees, Francis gave up two runs on five hits Sunday against the Dodgers, walked three and struck out six in seven innings. He retired the final 10 batters he faced.
In the fourth, however, Francis fell into the same trap as other Rockies starters. After getting the first two outs, he ran into trouble.
Recent Triple-A call-up Blake DeWitt sliced a triple into the right-field corner and Francis intentionally walked Chin-lung Hu to get to pitcher Esteban Loaiza. But Loaiza drilled a single to right-center, scoring DeWitt.
Hu then scored on Rafael Furcal’s blooper to left that fell just beyond the reach of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
“I just got myself in trouble with two outs in the fourth and I couldn’t close the door,” said Francis, who admitted he was frustrated at giving up a hit to the opposing pitcher.
Hitting second.
Todd Helton went 2-for-3 batting from the two-hole Sunday after going 1-for-3 there Saturday night. For his career, Helton is hitting .338 at the second spot in 54 games.
“It’s not anything different,” he said. “I’m still hitting ahead of the same guys. I don’t think I’ll be bunting much, but I’ll bunt if (manager Clint Hurdle) tells me to.”
Redman revisited.
After giving up 10 runs in the first inning Saturday, Mark Redman remained in the game to pitch another five innings, giving the Rockies’ battered bullpen some rest.
Redman also made history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Redman became the first pitcher since 1900 to last six innings after allowing 10 or more runs, and also was the first to finish the first inning when allowing 10 or more runs.
Hurdle said he would have kept Redman in, even at Coors Field with home fans howling. But he made it clear he won’t settle for that kind of performance. “We will find better answers if need be,” Hurdle said.
Footnotes.
Umpire Kerwin Danley, hit in the jaw by a 96 mph fastball Saturday, was doing better Sunday. After being taken to Los Angeles’ Good Samaritan Hospital on Saturday as a precautionary measure, he was released after about three hours. . . . Garrett Atkins went 1-for-5 Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. He’s hitting .368 (21-for-57) during the streak.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
