There was no shame to DJ LeMahieu’s game Friday when his name fell to the bottom of the Rockies’ lineup. Even though he hit ninth, one spot below a pitcher with a career .184 batting average.
It was part of a grand plan. Manager Walt Weiss batted his starting pitcher, Tyler Matzek, in the eighth slot — a rarely seen move that sacrifices an early at-bat to help set up potentially bigger innings later.
A pitcher batting eighth is a baseball oddity. For the first time in Rockies history, Colorado and its opponent batted the pitcher eighth. Cubs starter Travis Wood also hit eighth, ahead of Arismendy Alcantara.
Two pitchers batting eighth hadn’t happened in MLB since the Cardinals and Pirates did it against each other in 2008.
“Hitting 9-hole in Little League, everyone’s like, ‘If it makes you feel good, just say you’re a second leadoff hitter,’ ” LeMahieu said. “But I really do feel that way. If I can just get on base, I have some of the best hitters in the game coming up after me.”
LeMahieu made Weiss look like a genius. The second baseman had three hits, an RBI and scored a run. He reached base a fourth time on an error. And he set up the Rockies’ game-breaking inning in their 5-1 victory at Coors Field.
With LeMahieu hitting ninth, Weiss moved Troy Tulowitzki up to No. 2. And when LeMahieu came to bat in the fifth inning with one out, his single to center field was followed by a Corey Dickerson walk. Tulowitzki then doubled to left off Wood, driving in both runners. It turned a 1-1 game into a 3-1 lead that the Rockies’ bullpen protected.
“It doesn’t matter to me as long as I get RBI opportunities,” said Tulowitzki, who finished 2-for-4. “I love those RBI situations. I love being out there in the clutch. That’s what I live for. That’s what my offseason workouts are geared at. It’s fun to come through.”
The pressure of hitting within RBI distance of Tulowitzki didn’t miss LeMahieu.
“He told me before his double, ‘Just get on base. I’m going to get this guy,” LeMahieu said of Tulo- witzki’s pep talk.
LeMaheiu led the National League last year in RBIs from the No. 8 slot, with 36. He is comfortable hitting there. So his movement in the lineup was a risk.
“Sometimes it works out that way where the right guys come up in the right spots,” Weiss said. “Sometimes it won’t work out that way. But DJ is in a really good place right now.”
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or
Cubs’ Jason Hammel (10-11, 3.47 ERA in 2014) vs. Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (1-0, 0.00 in 2015), 6:10 p.m. Saturday, ROOT; 850 AM
A rainout in Chicago this week pushed back the Cubs’ rotation. So Rockies fans will miss out on the anticipated Kyle Kendrick vs. Kyle Hendricks matchup that would have twisted the tongue of the PA announcer. The Rockies’ Kendrick instead will go against Hammel, a former Rockies starter (2009-11). Kendrick pitched seven shutout innings at Milwaukee in the season opener Monday, finishing with six strike- outs and no walks.
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
Sunday: Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks (7-2, 2.46 ERA in 2014) vs. Rockies’ Jordan Lyles (1-0, 3.00 in 2015), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Rockies’ Eddie Butler (0-0, 3.18) vs. Giants’ Chris Heston (1-0, 0.00), 2:35 p.m., ROOT
Tuesday: Rockies’ TBA vs. Giants’ Tim Hudson (0-0, 0.00), 8:15 p.m., ROOT
