Tyler Matzek leaves the sixth inning in Arizona on Monday with a hamstring cramp. (Norm Hall, Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Tyler Matzek shuffled to first base in the sixth inning Monday at Chase Field, trying to leg out a grounder with the bases loaded and two outs. The fact he was even batting in that spot — the Rockies led by three runs, but ended up winning by just one — was a vote of confidence for him returning for the later innings.
But one pitch into the bottom of the sixth, a ball to Yasmany Tomas, left Matzek hobbled. He left the game with a left hamstring cramp after just 80 pitches.
“I feel fine,” Matzek said after the game. “It cramped up in a few warmup pitches that inning. Nothing is wrong.”
Matzek allowed five hits and two runs through five. He was hurling a fastball with his best command of the season, despite three walks. And he had a chance to reach the eighth.
“That’s the disappointing thing,” he said. “I had an opportunity to go deep in the game, help our bullpen out a little bit. Then something stupid like this prevented me.”
Manager Walt Weiss said he expects Matzek to make his next start, likely Sunday in San Diego. He said Matzek’s injury wasn’t a tear or a strain of the muscle.
“I don’t think it’s any of those. It was just cramping up on him,” Weiss said.
Matzek leads Rockies starters with a 2.70 ERA over 20 innings. Over 10 starts dating to last season, Matzek’s ERA is even lower — at 1.63 with a 6-2 record. In his past nine starts, he’s allowed five hits or less.
Tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, injury, Tyler Matzek
