Two pitchers wanted to make statements Tuesday night at Coors Field.
Veteran Boston right-hander Sonny Gray, the subject of red-hot trade rumors, enhanced his value. Rockies rookie lefty Sean Sullivan showed that he needs a lot of work as a big-league pitcher.
There was a sliver of good news for the Rockies in their 5-2 loss. Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, mired in a deep slump, hit a solo homer in the ninth off righty reliever Garrett Whitlock. It was Tovar’s sixth homer of the season.
Gray dominated Colorado for seven innings, striking out 11. Gray’s only major mistake was a first-pitch cutter that Willi Castro blasted for a 435-foot homer to right in the second inning. Castro is hitting everybody these days. Four of his six home runs have come in June, and he’s slashing .304/.422/.536 with four doubles, 14 RBIs, and 12 walks in 19 games this month.
But Gray manhandled most of the other Colorado hitters.
“Sonny Gray was vintage Sonny Gray tonight,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I thought he was, obviously, fantastic. He had sliders beneath the zone. Spin beneath the zone. He’s been doing it a long time. He was mixing and matching, front to back. Late heaters. We just didn’t have an answer.”
Sullivan, making his third start in the majors, walked a tightrope from the very beginning of the game when he walked leadoff hitter Nate Eaton, who scored on Wilyer Abreu’s triple to center. Sullivan hung on for five innings, saving Colorado’s bullpen some work, and gave up only three runs on five hits.
However, Sullivan walked five and committed a balk, and, at times, he looked in over his head.
“I was talking to Alon (Leichman) as I came out, and I was just getting behind hitters too often, and too many walks,” he said, referring to the Rockies’ pitching coach. “I tried to battle out there, and I was happy that I stayed out there for five (innings). But again, just unacceptable with the walks.”
Added Schaeffer: “The thing is, thatap not him. I think he’s just settling into the big leagues and learning how to pitch here.”
Tovar is hitting .212 for the season, and just .190 in 15 games in June, with 25 strikeouts (39.7%) vs. only two walks.
“I saw him square up some baseballs (tonight), which is always good,” Schaeffer said. “And against Whitlock, who is a really good, top-notch reliever, he hit a homer. He seemed balanced at the plate.”
Boston acquired Gray, 36, from the Cardinals in the offseason, and Gray waived his no-trade clause to make the deal happen. He recently said that he might be open to waiving his no-trade clause again if the disappointing Red Sox continue to fall out of playoff contention.
“If someone came to me from the Red Sox and made a decision that that’s the direction that this team was going to go, I would be open for a conversation,” “Whatever happens from then, only time will tell. But I would be open for a conversation.”
Gray whittled his ERA from 3.12 to 2.95 on a night when he gave up six hits and walked three.
The Rockies host the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon, looking to win their eighth series of the season.
Pitching probables
Wednesday: Red Sox LHP Ranger Suarez (3-3, 2.93 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-7, 7.36), 1:10 p.m.
Thursday: Off day
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
