GLENDALE, Ariz. — The good Jorge De La Rosa showed up Sunday afternoon against the Dodgers.
After two ugly performances, De La Rosa held a potent Los Angeles lineup scoreless for three innings, renewing hope he can become a positive piece, not a puzzle, in the rotation.
“My confidence is still with me,” the left-hander said after the Rockies beat the Dodgers 9-5. “My control was working very good.”
De La Rosa recorded just one out before getting the hook in his last start. Sunday, he allowed one hit and one walk and struck out two. He needed just 39 pitches and showed off a sharp curve and a sneaky changeup.
“That was a good day for him,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Fastball command down in the zone, he commanded both sides of the plate. . . . The pace stayed constant, the focus and the discipline were in place.”
De La Rosa pitched just three innings because the Rockies wanted to give Matt Belisle, coming back from a sore forearm, some much- needed work. Belisle gave up one run on three hits in two innings.
On Q.
Utility infielder Omar Quintanilla continues to show his value. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, hiking his average to .370. His offseason work to become less pull-conscious at the plate is paying dividends. But the Rockies face a number of tough roster decisions, so Quintanilla is careful with his optimism.
“I know I can help the team win, so hopefully they will keep me, someway,” said Quintanilla, who’s out of minor-league options. “I just go out there and grind every day. I don’t have control over anything else.”
Quintanilla fills in seamlessly at second, short or third, so Hurdle is well aware of his value.
“There is a lot to like about Omar Quintanilla,” Hurdle said. “He’s an excellent defender, and he’s come in with a plan to work on his offense. He’s stayed constant with that. He’s in the mix, and he’s a guy you can’t take for granted.”
Footnotes.
Hot prospect Jhoulys Chacin will start today against the Diamondbacks at Tucson Electric Park, with Aaron Cook starting a minor-league game. The Rockies want to see more of Chacin on the big stage. . . . Lefty Greg Smith, almost fully recovered from a nasty case of the flu, expects to throw two innings Wednesday in a minor-league game. He said he believes there’s enough time to crack the rotation and be ready for the regular season.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Rockies Recap
At the plate
Troy Tulowitzki has found his groove and is driving the ball aggressively. He raked a run-scoring single and a run-scoring double, raising his average to .241 and getting his first two RBIs. Ryan Spilborghs got the Rockies on the board with a solo homer in the first.
On the mound
Reliever Juan Morillo wasn’t as sharp as he has been, but he battled through one inning, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one.
In the field
Eric Young Jr. displayed his athleticism in the fifth, leaping to snare a high throw, then swiping out Matt Kemp who was attempting to steal second.
Up next
The Rockies play the Diamondbacks at Tucson Electric Park
Scheduled Rockies pitchers: Jhoulys Chacin, Glendon Rusch and Huston Street.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
