Holland
was summoned to protect a one-run lead Thursday and he worked a
flawless ninth for his 36th save as the Rockies beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2.
Holland allowed Eric Hosmer's game-ending, three-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday night and was 0-4 with three blown saves in his previous six appearances.
"You have games in a row where your command is not where you expect it to be," Holland said. "I guess there is sometimes a little bit of `What are we going to get today?' But, I cleaned a few things up. Today, the ball was going towards my target like I'm used to seeing.
"When you get the line out from the first batter it makes it a lot easier, when you get that first hitter out."
Pat Valaika hit a two-run homer off Mike Minor with two outs in the eighth inning to give the Rockies a lead.
"I faced him the night before, so I knew he liked his slider on the hands a little bit, so kind of in the back of my mind," Valaika said. "That's where he threw it and I didn't miss it."
Valaika snapped an 0-for-12 slide, driving a full-count breaking ball from Minor (5-6) to left after Gerardo Parra singled.
"It was a terrible pitch," Minor said. "I just hung it. It didn't have good break on it, no spin, not much depth to it."
Adam Ottavino (2-3) struck out two in a perfect seventh.
The Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak with just their fifth victory in 17 games.
Rookie Jake Junis limited the Rockies to one run and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He matched his career high with seven strikeouts and walked one. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in three August starts, walking one and striking out 16 in 19 1/3 innings.
"Junis was fantastic," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He had a really good slider, a lot of swings and misses on his slider. He spotted his fastball extremely well. Junis was very impressive."
Whit Merrifield and Brandon Moss led off the Royals' first and second innings with home runs. It was Merrifield's third career leadoff home run, all this season, and his eighth hit in 15 at-bats. Moss hit his 17th home run, 14 with the bases empty.
Rockies starter German Marquez allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.
Raimel Tapia singled in Parra in the sixth for Colorado's first run.
Royals reliever Peter Moylan got three outs on seven pitches. He got DJ LaMahieu to roll into a double play to end the seventh, and retired Nolan Arenado, who singled in his first two at-bats, on a comebacker to start the eighth.
"This is a tough loss," Yost said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (left knee inflammation) is scheduled to throw another simulated game this weekend in Atlanta. Black said if "he comes out of that fine" Anderson would go out on a rehab assignment. "He could conceivably start a game" in September, Black said.
Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas has a sore knee and was not in the lineup, but flied out as pinch hitter to end the game. Yost said Moustakas heard his knee pop on his final at-bat. "It's not anything we're concerned about," Yost said. "We're going to just give him a day off. We might DH him a day or two, depending on how he feels tomorrow."
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis will make his third start since returning from battling testicular cancer in the series opener at Atlanta on Friday night.
Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who is 2-4 with a 7.15 ERA in eight starts since July 1, will start Friday night at Cleveland. He was 12-3 with an American League-leading 2.22 ERA at the end of June.
Holland allowed Eric Hosmer's game-ending, three-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday night and was 0-4 with three blown saves in his previous six appearances.
"You have games in a row where your command is not where you expect it to be," Holland said. "I guess there is sometimes a little bit of `What are we going to get today?' But, I cleaned a few things up. Today, the ball was going towards my target like I'm used to seeing.
"When you get the line out from the first batter it makes it a lot easier, when you get that first hitter out."
Pat Valaika hit a two-run homer off Mike Minor with two outs in the eighth inning to give the Rockies a lead.
"I faced him the night before, so I knew he liked his slider on the hands a little bit, so kind of in the back of my mind," Valaika said. "That's where he threw it and I didn't miss it."
Valaika snapped an 0-for-12 slide, driving a full-count breaking ball from Minor (5-6) to left after Gerardo Parra singled.
"It was a terrible pitch," Minor said. "I just hung it. It didn't have good break on it, no spin, not much depth to it."
Adam Ottavino (2-3) struck out two in a perfect seventh.
The Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak with just their fifth victory in 17 games.
Rookie Jake Junis limited the Rockies to one run and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He matched his career high with seven strikeouts and walked one. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in three August starts, walking one and striking out 16 in 19 1/3 innings.
"Junis was fantastic," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He had a really good slider, a lot of swings and misses on his slider. He spotted his fastball extremely well. Junis was very impressive."
Whit Merrifield and Brandon Moss led off the Royals' first and second innings with home runs. It was Merrifield's third career leadoff home run, all this season, and his eighth hit in 15 at-bats. Moss hit his 17th home run, 14 with the bases empty.
Rockies starter German Marquez allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.
Raimel Tapia singled in Parra in the sixth for Colorado's first run.
Royals reliever Peter Moylan got three outs on seven pitches. He got DJ LaMahieu to roll into a double play to end the seventh, and retired Nolan Arenado, who singled in his first two at-bats, on a comebacker to start the eighth.
"This is a tough loss," Yost said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (left knee inflammation) is scheduled to throw another simulated game this weekend in Atlanta. Black said if "he comes out of that fine" Anderson would go out on a rehab assignment. "He could conceivably start a game" in September, Black said.
Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas has a sore knee and was not in the lineup, but flied out as pinch hitter to end the game. Yost said Moustakas heard his knee pop on his final at-bat. "It's not anything we're concerned about," Yost said. "We're going to just give him a day off. We might DH him a day or two, depending on how he feels tomorrow."
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis will make his third start since returning from battling testicular cancer in the series opener at Atlanta on Friday night.
Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who is 2-4 with a 7.15 ERA in eight starts since July 1, will start Friday night at Cleveland. He was 12-3 with an American League-leading 2.22 ERA at the end of June.
2:15PM,EDT,August 24,2017
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City,Missouri
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City,Missouri
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Colorado - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Blackmon lined out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| LeMahieu struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Arenado singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Parra grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Merrifield homered to left center (389 feet). | 0 | 1 |
| Cain singled to shortstop. | 0 | 1 |
| Cabrera grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, Cain out at second. | 0 | 1 |
| Hosmer singled to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Bonifacio struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| González grounded out to second. | 0 | 1 |
| Valaika lined out to right. | 0 | 1 |
| Tapia singled to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Story struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Moss homered to right (431 feet). | 0 | 2 |
| Escobar grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 2 |
| Cuthbert singled to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Butera struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Merrifield grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Cuthbert out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, -1 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Wolters flied out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Blackmon struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| LeMahieu singled to center. | 0 | 2 |
| Arenado singled to right, LeMahieu to third. | 0 | 2 |
| Parra grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Cain singled to center. | 0 | 2 |
| Cabrera grounded into double play, third to second to first, Cain out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| Hosmer flied out to left. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| González struck out looking. | 0 | 2 |
| Valaika struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Tapia struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Bonifacio grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| Moss walked. | 0 | 2 |
| Escobar grounded out to shortstop, Moss to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Cuthbert walked. | 0 | 2 |
| Butera grounded out to third. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Story grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| Wolters walked. | 0 | 2 |
| Blackmon singled to center, Wolters to second. | 0 | 2 |
| LeMahieu struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Arenado grounded into fielder's choice to third, Blackmon out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Merrifield lined out to center. | 0 | 2 |
| Cain lined out to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Cabrera singled to center. | 0 | 2 |
| Hosmer grounded out to second. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Jake Junis pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Parra singled to left center. | 0 | 2 |
| González doubled to right, Parra to third. | 0 | 2 |
| Valaika popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| Alexander relieved Junis. | 0 | 2 |
| Tapia singled to left, Parra scored, González to third. | 1 | 2 |
| Story grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Tapia out at second. | 1 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| German Marquez pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Bonifacio lined out to pitcher. | 1 | 2 |
| Moss singled to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Escobar flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Cuthbert fouled out to first. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Scott Alexander pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Wolters grounded out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Blackmon walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Moylan relieved Alexander. | 1 | 2 |
| LeMahieu grounded into double play, third to second to first, Blackmon out at second. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Adam Ottavino pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Ottavino relieved Márquez. | 1 | 2 |
| Butera struck out looking. | 1 | 2 |
| Merrifield struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Cain flied out to center. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Peter Moylan pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| Arenado grounded out to pitcher. | 1 | 2 |
| Minor relieved Moylan. | 1 | 2 |
| Parra singled to right. | 1 | 2 |
| González struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Valaika homered to left (366 feet), Parra scored. | 3 | 2 |
| Tapia struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Mike Dunn pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Reynolds at first base. | 3 | 2 |
| Dunn relieved Ottavino. | 3 | 2 |
| Cabrera singled to center. | 3 | 2 |
| Hosmer struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Bonifacio struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Moss struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Kevin McCarthy pitching for Kansas City | COL | KC |
| McCarthy relieved Minor. | 3 | 2 |
| Story grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 2 |
| Wolters flied out to left. | 3 | 2 |
| Blackmon doubled to shallow left. | 3 | 2 |
| LeMahieu grounded out to first. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Greg Holland pitching for Colorado | COL | KC |
| Holland relieved Dunn. | 3 | 2 |
| Escobar lined out to second. | 3 | 2 |
| Cuthbert lined out to right. | 3 | 2 |
| Moustakas hit for Butera. | 3 | 2 |
| Moustakas flied out to center. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado Rockies | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Blackmon CF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | .337 | .399 | .622 |
| LeMahieu 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | .312 | .375 | .390 |
| Arenado 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .313 | .369 | .599 |
| Parra LF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .345 | .375 | .521 |
| González DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | .240 | .308 | .360 |
| Valaika 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .261 | .288 | .542 |
Reynolds 1B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .275 | .363 | .505 |
| Tapia RF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | .278 | .329 | .414 |
| Story SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | .223 | .305 | .416 |
| Wolters C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | .244 | .343 | .293 |
| Totals | 36 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 127 | |||
| BATTING 2B: González (22, Junis); Blackmon (28, McCarthy) HR: Valaika (11, 8th inning off Minor 1 on, 2 Out) RBI: Tapia (11), Valaika 2 (33) 2-out RBI: Valaika 2 GIDP: Story, LeMahieu Rockies RISP: 1-7 (Story 0-1, LeMahieu 0-2, Parra 0-1, Valaika 0-1, Tapia 1-1, Arenado 0-1) Team LOB: 8 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 2 (Márquez-Story-Valaika, Arenado-LeMahieu-Valaika). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO |
| Attendance | 25,314 (66.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:43 |
| Weather | 78 degrees, sunny |
| Wind | 10 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Roberto Ortiz, First Base - Lance Barksdale, Second Base - Dan Iassogna, Third Base - Eric Cooper |
No comments:
Post a Comment