Typically, when a team has more ejections than runs, it loses.
Such was the case on an odd Friday night at Coors Field. A paid crowd of 40,114 watched as evaluation gave way to frustration in the Rockies’ 4-1 loss to the Reds.
The game began with Troy Tulowitzki sitting out for precautionary reasons with tightness in his left hip. It ended without Carlos Gonzalez and manager Jim Tracy, ejected for loose lips in the fifth inning.
“I just couldn’t control myself. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but those were bad calls. If I get myself out or the pitcher does, fine. The umpire got me out,” Gonzalez said. “What was I supposed to say, ‘thank you’? “
Tracy, it could be argued, has never been more animated in a Rockies uniform. A month’s worth of anger spilled out in a brief, fiery exchange with plate umpire Mark Carlson following Gonzalez’s ejection. The Rockies held a 1-0 lead when Gonzalez faced Homer Bailey with Dexter Fowler on third base.
Carlson called the first strike, which CarGo believed was high. The second strike, with video evidence as proof, was low. “It drastically varied,” Tracy said of the strike zone. Gonzalez raised his hand in disgust after strike two.
He struck out on a 55-foot slider on the next pitch, symbolic of a night when the Rockies went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Gonzalez walked back to the dugout, where he swung his bat against the wall, tossed his helmet and then shouted at Carlson. He didn’t tell him he was going to “Like” him on Facebook, earning his first-ever ejection.
“He totally (messed with me),” Gonzalez said. “It’s been a tough year, yes, but we are still trying to win games. I know I can’t get thrown out there because we were already missing Tulo. But I was (really angry).”
Tracy raced onto the field and went nuclear. He was upset that Carlson was staring in the dugout, appearing to wait for Gonzalez’s reaction.
“Carlos walked away. He was off the field. To turn and then just eject the guy I felt was out of line,” Tracy said.
It was hard to see the incident in a vacuum given the season’s disappointment. Gonzalez said earlier this week he’s not motivated by personal statistics.
“It’s not what we are here for,” Gonzalez said. “We are here to win a championship.”
That will again be the stated goal in spring training. For now, the Rockies are a work in progress, blending in young players at multiple positions.
Their lone run came on Chris Nelson’s third homer. He filled in at shortstop for Tulowitzki, who hopes to return to the lineup today.
Bailey, a pitcher the Rockies asked for in trade discussions regarding Ubaldo Jimenez, worked 7 2/3 innings, allowing just six hits. He outpitched Jhoulys Chacin (5 1/3 innings, three runs), who was betrayed by sloppy defense. The Reds’ Paul Janish delivered his first RBI in more than two months with a single after Seth Smith and Nelson committed errors to advance runners.
“But one run isn’t going to get you very far,” Tracy said. “That’s pretty much what it boils down to.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
TODAY: Reds at Rockies, 2:10 p.m., no TV
Alex White (2-1, 5.63 ERA) is using this month to make specific adjustments. He’s using his four-seam fastball to get ahead in the count. His sinker has shown good movement, but neither that pitch nor his split-fingered changeup is effective if he doesn’t throw strikes early in the count. White is looking for his first win at Coors Field. Bronson Arroyo (8-11, 5.00) absorbed a line drive off his leg in his most recent start, his latest bit of bad luck. He has just one win in 10 second-half starts despite pitching better. Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki and Kevin Kouzmanoff all have homered twice off the right-hander. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Sunday: Reds’ Edinson Volquez (5-4, 5.93 ERA) at Rockies’ Drew Pomeranz (major-league debut), 1:10 p.m., Root
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Rockies’ Esmil Rogers’ (6-5, 6.26) at Brewers’ Zack Greinke (14-6, 3.93), 6:10 p.m., Root
Wednesday: Rockies’ Kevin Millwood (2-2, 3.79) at Brewers’ Chris Narveson (10-7, 4.46), 6:10 p.m., Root
Thursday: Giants’ Ryan Vogelsong (10-6, 2.62) at Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (11-11, 3.64), 6:40 p.m., Root
