The Colorado Rockies' (10-9) recipe for a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night included a seven inning serving of starter Jordan Lyles, a splash of Justin Morneau's third homer to the second deck of right field, and a dash of a speedy Coors Field squirrel.
Lyles was special in his 95 pitch (54 strikes), seven inning performance. Utilizing his sinker, Lyles allowed an unearned run on five hits, striking out two and walking one. Lyles followed the formula the Rockies have wanted all their pitchers to follow for several years now, keep the ball down and induce grounders. Lyles was able to get the Phillies to ground into 14-groundball outs compared to just five balls in the air.
"He's really given us a lift in that rotation," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "The biggest factor is his two-seamer. It's something he worked on all spring, his fastball angle and pitching to the bottom of the zone, and you could see those guys beating it into the ground. He's a mentally tough kid. He competes. He goes after hitters. He's been great.
Lyles improved his record to 3-0, 3.42 ERA, and tied his career mark of three consecutive victories set while a member of the Houston Astros. Along with Tyler Chatwood's dominating performance against the Phillies on Friday night, the Rockies have gone back-to-back starts without allowing an earned-run for just the second time since the humidor's arrival at Coors Field in 2002 (Mike Hampton/Jason Jennings,2002).
Lyles was assisted by a Morneau blast that rifled through the rainy Coors Field night, landing in the stadium's mezzanine section in right field. It was Morneau's third home run of the year and lifted the Rockies to a 3-0 lead.
Lyles was pulled from the game after giving up a single to leadoff hitter Cody Asche. Reliever Boone Logan entered the game and made a throwing error to first on a groundball back to him off the bat of John Mayberry Jr. With runners at 2nd and third, Jimmy Rollins grounded out to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, scoring Asche for the Phillies only run.
Rockies closer LaTroy Hawkins pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his fifth save of the year.
Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (0-2, 3.60) pitched fairly well. After the 12 run outburst the night before, Kendrick held Major League Baseball's number one offense to just three runs on six hits, striking out three and walking none in a 82 pitch (53 strikes), seven innings performance.
Kendrick retired nine Rockies in a row until the third inning when Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to a career best 10 games with a single to center field. Controversy came on the next play when DJ LeMahieu single into the left-center field gap, allowing Arenado to race around the bases and reach home plate. On the relay throw from second baseman Chase Utley, home plate umpire and crew chief Tim Welke ruled that Arenado was tagged out by catcher Carlos Ruiz. Weiss came out of the dugout to challenge the call and replay was consulted. Welke came back and ruled that Ruiz had violated the new rule governing home plate collisions by blocking home plate with his foot, and Arenado was safe, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead.
"It's amazing how that one rule changes the game, kind of," Arenado said. "Fortunately enough, it benefited us and I guess when you're on the other side, it's probably going to rub you the wrong way a little bit."
Kendrick's good pitching performance was betrayed by the lack of a Phillies hitting attack. Philadelphia has scored just three runs in their last four games. They have gone four consecutive games without an extra-base hit, their longest such stretch since 1968. The longest in Major League Baseball since the then Florida Marlins' inaugural year of 1993.
"You're going to go through ruts in the season," Kendrick said. "You want to get out of it as quick as you can. Hopefully tomorrow we can swing it and score some runs. Things can turn quick."
A Coors Field crowd of 31,352 sat through a rainy night without the offensive explosion of the 12 run game on Friday night. But they were entertained by a chase between groundskeepers and a squirrel that delayed action twice beginning in the fourth inning. The speeding squirrel was eventually apprehended and escorted to parts unknown outside of the stadium.
Post Game Brief:
The Phillies purchased the contract of RHP Shawn Camp from Triple A Lehigh Valley. Camp replaces on the roster RHP Jonathan Pettibone, who was optioned to Lehigh Valley the night before after giving up eight earned runs to the Rockies in the Phillies 12-1 defeat.
Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer spent his second straight night on the bench resting his strained left hamstring. Rockies are hoping rest, not the disabled list, will heal the injury.
Coming Up:
The final game of the series will be Sunday, April 20th, at 2:10 PM MDT. The probable pitching matchup is RHP Roberto Hernandez (1-0, 3.86) - RHP Juan Nicasio (2-0, 3.50).