Lost in Monday night’s hoopla surrounding Troy Tulowitzki’s cycle and center fielder Dexter Fowler’s crash into the center- field wall was the uncharacteristic ninth-inning meltdown of closer Huston Street.
Needing work, Street entered the game with the Rockies leading the Cubs 11-1. He left after giving up a career high-tying four runs in one-third inning. Tuesday, Street discounted the idea that he pitched poorly because his adrenaline wasn’t pumping.
“No, that wasn’t it,” Street said. “That’s a good hitting team. Maybe I threw more fastballs than normal, because of the score. But they hit me well. But we won the game, that’s all that matters. My ego got bruised a little bit and my ERA went up, but that’s all.”
Still, it bothered Street to give up those runs.
“I thought about it last night and when I got up this morning,” said Street, who has 28 saves in 29 chances. “You have to think through it and work through it. You can’t just laugh it off. To me, that’s not real. To me, that’s the worst approach.”
Recycle.
Tulowitzki completed his cycle with a seventh-inning triple, but a lot of national media questioned the scoring, saying that because of a bobble by Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano and two poor relay throws, Tulowitzki should have been given only a double, with an advance to third on an error.
Rockies manager Jim Tracy, however, said Tulo’s hit was a triple all the way.
“There was a little, slight bobble in left by Soriano, but I think (the triple) had more to do with the baserunner,” Tracy said. “If you had seen an interruption in Tulo’s stride, and he had then realized that the ball had been bobbled, and then (advanced) to third base, then I think you have something in question. But he never broke stride. He ran from home to third base, uninterrupted.”
Fowler update.
The rookie had a precautionary MRI on his left knee and missed Tuesday night’s game against the Pirates. Test results showed the knee was only bruised, and Fowler could be available for limited duty tonight.
“The MRI came back completely clean and we can be very aggressive with him,” Tracy said.
Francis update.
Injured left- hander Jeff Francis threw 30 pitches off the mound for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in February.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
