ATLANTA — Pitching in Atlanta is like taking a painting class with Picasso. Down the left-field line, a stone’s throw from the spinning Coke bottle and the grammar-challenged Chick-fil-A cow, the retired numbers stare down onto the mound below.
Five were worn by pitchers, including three when the Internet existed: John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. So when a starter begins to do special things, there’s always pause in praise because it has all been done before.
But the clinic Kris Medlen put on Monday, working over the Rockies on Labor Day in a 6-1 victory, was worthy of his predecessors. He ran his scoreless streak to 34 ⅔ innings, the longest by a Brave since Maddux in 2000. The Braves won the 18th game in a row started by Medlen dating to 2010, the longest since the Yankees reeled off 20 straight in 2001 behind Roger Clemens.
Medlen serves as a glowing reminder for Rockies’ pitchers: Throw strikes. Throw them often. And have a secondary pitch that’s as irresistible as cotton candy.
Medlen threw 111 pitches, 85 strikes. Rockies’ starter Tyler Chatwood threw 74 pitches, 41 strikes. Gee, wonder who won?
What happened over the first three innings is why the Rockies arrived at Turner Field playing for next season. The starter took the mound and hope boarded MARTA to a midtown barbecue.
Chatwood issued five walks. He got hit harder in the left ankle than he got hit by the Braves. Freddie Freeman scored from first base on a comebacker. That pretty much summed up Chatwood’s day.
The right-hander issued five walks. Martin Prado smoked a liner off Chatwood, who fielded the ball and threw awkwardly to first. Jordan Pacheco was given the error — it should have been on Chatwood, or Prado should have been ruled out for running inside the foul line. Pacheco then one-hopped a ball past third baseman Chris Nelson. All that was missing was Benny Hill’s soundtrack.
This is the kind of play the Rockies have been running from since Aug. 1. But Tuesday drove home the point that objects in the rearview mirror are closer than they appear. Colorado can’t suffer mental or physical lapses and win. Against anyone.
Chatwood had issues with his release point. He showed growth in his dismal outing. There were no excuses. He pointed the finger at himself. And in a miserable afternoon, that was a encouraging moment in the clubhouse. For a moment, forget about the coaching staff — which faces evaluations and potential changes at the end of the month. The Rockies are only going to get better if the players hold themselves accountable.
“That had nothing to do with my lack of command,” said Chatwood when asked if his bruised ankle, which should not prevent him from making his next assignment, affected his outing. “I was fighting myself from the first inning. I have to be able to get through days like this.”
Chatwood had been the Rockies’ best starter over his last six starts, posting a 3.72 ERA. In the planned eight-man staff next spring, he fits somewhere. The kid has toughness, an edge.
That’s why Medlen is good. He has overcome elbow ligament surgery (he made just two starts in 2011) and is painting the black lines with a small brush.
“I know how I am as a pitcher. I know how competitive I am, and when I put it all together I think I can get the kind of results I want,” Medlen said. “Did I know it’d be this kind of success? Not quite. Did I think I could do it? Yes.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1294, trenck@denverpost.com or
