Two hours before the first pitch of Monday night’s game, manager Clint Hurdle talked about how eager he was to get to the ballpark, how he wasn’t afraid of adversity or confrontation. He found both in the first inning, and was kindly asked to leave the dugout.
In an exchange that will never show up in a Hallmark card, Hurdle traded words with plate umpire Paul Emmel after he called a balk on Franklin Morales. Morales leads baseball with three balks. Hurdle asked how Emmel could make that call on a very common move, before letting the ump have it.
Quirk in charge.
Bench coach Jamie Quirk took over for Hurdle. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca arrived right before the game after attending his mother’s funeral.
Pitching in.
The Rockies are expected to carry 13 pitchers until at least Friday, leaving their bench shorthanded. If any starter goes out early the next few days, Jose Capellan will be asked to carry a big workload.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
