DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies tied their best start in franchise history, beating the Chicago Cubs 5-1 Friday behind Troy Tulowitzki's two-run double and Justin Morneau's solo homer.
The Rockies, off to their first 4-0 start since 1995, got another stellar performance from their bullpen in relief of a shaky Tyler Matzek.
Right-hander Christian Bergman (1-0) picked up the win with a perfect fifth inning, and five Colorado relievers combined to allow just one hit -- a bunt single by Anthony Rizzo with the shift on -- in five innings.
Matzek became the first Rockies starting pitcher ever to bat eighth. With fellow lefty Travis Wood (0-1) also batting eighth, this marked the first game that both starting pitchers batted in that spot since St. Louis' Joel Pineiro and Pittsburgh's Ian Snell did it on July 13, 2008, according to STATS.
Both managers said the unconventional strategy allows for a more potent No. 2 hitter, and Tulowitzki proved the point with a two-run double down the left-field line off Wood that broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth.
Matzek was wild all day -- just 40 strikes in 84 pitches -- and he left after allowing a walk and a single to start the fifth. He gave up an earned run on Matt Szczur's sacrifice fly in the third, on four hits, walked three, plunked Rizzo twice and threw a wild pitch.
Bergman got Starlin Castro to ground into a double play and Mike Olt to ground out to third.
Matzek scored Colorado's first run, doubling with two outs in the second and coming around on D.J. LeMahieu's single.
Morneau greeted right-hander Brian Schlitter, just called up from Triple-A Iowa, with his first homer leading off the sixth for his 1,500th hit, and Corey Dickerson added a run-scoring single to make it 5-1.
Broncos GM John Elway tweeted a photo from behind the Rockies' dugout and added, "The former baseball player in me always looks forward to opening day."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Reliever RHP Justin Grimm landed on the 15-day DL with swelling in his right forearm and was replaced by RHP Brian Schlitter.
Rockies: LHJ Jorge De La Rosa said he's probably going to have to deal with his sore left groin all season. He threw 57 pitches in a rehab start at Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday night and will throw a bullpen session Saturday at Coors Field.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (0-0, 0.00) makes his first start against his former team Saturday. He pitched for the Rockies from 2009-11.
Rockies: RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-0, 0.00) makes his home debut for the Rockies on Saturday. Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Kendrick has a 1-1 record and 5.26 ERA at Coors Field.
The Rockies, off to their first 4-0 start since 1995, got another stellar performance from their bullpen in relief of a shaky Tyler Matzek.
Right-hander Christian Bergman (1-0) picked up the win with a perfect fifth inning, and five Colorado relievers combined to allow just one hit -- a bunt single by Anthony Rizzo with the shift on -- in five innings.
Matzek became the first Rockies starting pitcher ever to bat eighth. With fellow lefty Travis Wood (0-1) also batting eighth, this marked the first game that both starting pitchers batted in that spot since St. Louis' Joel Pineiro and Pittsburgh's Ian Snell did it on July 13, 2008, according to STATS.
Both managers said the unconventional strategy allows for a more potent No. 2 hitter, and Tulowitzki proved the point with a two-run double down the left-field line off Wood that broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth.
Matzek was wild all day -- just 40 strikes in 84 pitches -- and he left after allowing a walk and a single to start the fifth. He gave up an earned run on Matt Szczur's sacrifice fly in the third, on four hits, walked three, plunked Rizzo twice and threw a wild pitch.
Bergman got Starlin Castro to ground into a double play and Mike Olt to ground out to third.
Matzek scored Colorado's first run, doubling with two outs in the second and coming around on D.J. LeMahieu's single.
Morneau greeted right-hander Brian Schlitter, just called up from Triple-A Iowa, with his first homer leading off the sixth for his 1,500th hit, and Corey Dickerson added a run-scoring single to make it 5-1.
Broncos GM John Elway tweeted a photo from behind the Rockies' dugout and added, "The former baseball player in me always looks forward to opening day."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Reliever RHP Justin Grimm landed on the 15-day DL with swelling in his right forearm and was replaced by RHP Brian Schlitter.
Rockies: LHJ Jorge De La Rosa said he's probably going to have to deal with his sore left groin all season. He threw 57 pitches in a rehab start at Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday night and will throw a bullpen session Saturday at Coors Field.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (0-0, 0.00) makes his first start against his former team Saturday. He pitched for the Rockies from 2009-11.
Rockies: RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-0, 0.00) makes his home debut for the Rockies on Saturday. Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Kendrick has a 1-1 record and 5.26 ERA at Coors Field.
4:10PM,EDT,April 10,2015
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Chicago Cubs | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Fowler CF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | .077 | .077 | .154 |
| Soler RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | .200 | .273 | .400 |
| Rizzo 1B | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | .333 | .636 | .333 |
| Castro SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | .273 | .273 | .273 |
| Olt 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | .125 | .125 | .125 |
| Szczur LF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 | .000 | .200 | .000 |
| Castillo C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | .000 | .250 | .000 |
| Wood P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Motte P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
a-Coghlan PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .143 | .143 | .286 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
Jackson P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
b-Herrera PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Alcántara 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | .000 | .222 | .000 |
| Totals | 30 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 140 | |||
| a-grounded to second for J Motte in the 6th b-flied out to right for E Jackson in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING RBI: Szczur (1) SF: Szczur GIDP: Castro Cubs RISP: 1-9 (Fowler 0-1, Castillo 0-1, Olt 0-2, Alcántara 0-1, Castro 1-2, Wood 0-1, Coghlan 0-1) Team LOB: 9 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Szczur (1, 2nd base off Brown/Hundley) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Castro (1, ground ball) Outfield Assist: Fowler (Dickerson at 2nd base); Soler (Arenado at 2nd base). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Coors Field, Denver, CO |
| Attendance | 49,303 (97.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:01 |
| Weather | 61 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Quinn Wolcott, First Base - Gary Cederstrom, Second Base - Eric Cooper, Third Base - Rob Drake |
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