KANSAS CITY, Mo. — That was no ordinary run-scoring single Dexter Fowler picked up off Zack Greinke on Sunday.
“I told them to save the ball for me,” Fowler said.
Fowler was hitless in 23 at- bats and hadn’t driven in a run since April 28. He had gone 42 at-bats in May without an RBI and still doesn’t have an extra- base hit this month.
He wasn’t in Sunday’s original lineup, but started after Carlos Gonzalez was scratched because of lingering soreness in his left wrist. Now Fowler can’t wait to get to Coors Field and, presumably, some warm weather.
Said Fowler: “It will be good to be back home. It seems like we’ve been in every city in America.”
Road woe-iors.
There’s been a certain “Groundhog Day” feel to the Rockies’ four road trips. Their records are 1-2, 3-4, 4-5 and 3-4.
First win for Rogers.
Esmil Rogers earned his first major-league win with two innings of relief.
So did he save the ball from the final out?
“No,” Rogers said. “He threw it to a fan.”
“He” would be Manuel Corpas, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Said Corpas, “Nobody told me nada.”
Just a guess, but don’t be shocked if it’s a prank. Stuff happens to rookies.
Footnotes.
Troy Tulowitzki hit his third home run in four games after hitting one in the Rockies’ first 40. . . . Brad Hawpe, who hasn’t homered since April 21, got the day off. Said Rockies manager Jim Tracy: “He was starting to get down there toward the bottom of his tank. . . . When he gets tired, he gets lengthy (with his swing), and then we’re not doing any good for anybody.” . . . Huston Street is expected to throw a bullpen session midweek, at which point the Rockies will determine when he’ll begin another rehab assignment. . . . Greg Reynolds, the second pick in the 2006 draft, has suffered a significant setback, having been shut down because of irritation behind his right elbow. . . . Eric Young Jr. is free of pain after suffering a stress fracture of his right tibia. He will be X-rayed again late this week to determine when he can get back on the field. . . . Greinke, on his disastrous outing: “Just not a lot of life on pitches and pitching in the thighs area of the strike zone. You just don’t get away with pitches in that area.”
Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
