Chris Rusin. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
ROCKIES 8, RANGERS 6
At Salt River Fields
Scottsdale, Ariz. — Trevor Story, the Rockies’ rookie 23-year-old, continued his tear through the Cactus League with a home run and two doubles Saturday. “He’s playing really well, in all phases of the game,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
Story’s team-leading fifth home run came off a Martin Perez changeup, hit over the center field wall in the third inning. He also doubled through the left side of the infield on a hustle play in the first and on a line drive to right field in the sixth.
“I’m just trying to stay up the middle with the ball,” Story said. “If it happens, then good stuff.”
Story’s .381 batting average trails only Nolan Arenado’s .545 among regulars.
Chris Rusin, the left-hander who threw two complete games including a shutout last season, made his Cactus League debut. He used 32 pitches through 1 2/3 innings, with one earned run.
“A lot of weak contact, which is what I was looking for for the first outing,” Rusin said. “No walks, pounded the strike zone. So I was pleased with that.”
He had been held out with a left middle finger injury. His final pitch, a 90-mph sinker at the knees, caught Drew Robinson looking for a strikeout.
“It’s just different getting out there and slowing your heart rate, being in the competitive spirit for the first time in awhile. Watching the guys compete every day and me missing it was tough.”
HITS
Right-hander Chad Bettis stretched into his longest outing of the spring, an 89-pitch effort over 5 1/3 innings. He gave up four hits and one earned run. “It was good to get lengthened out,” he said. “I could feel it. It was good to fight through it.”
Bettis will ramp down for a shorter outing in his final spring start next week.
MISSES
The Rockies commited five errors and the Rangers flubbed three more. Colorado catcher Nick Hundley was charged twice, including an errant throw back to pitcher Justin Miller.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Rockies (starting pitcher Christian Bergman) play at home as the away team against the Arizona Diamondbacks (Ruby De La Rosa) on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. (850-AM radio; Root TV).
