DENVER – In case you missed it, and you almost certainly didn’t, the Colorado Rockies got maybe the best pitching performance in their entire history a few weeks ago from German Marquez.
They went into that game with a record of 3-12 and have since gone 12-6.
You certainly can’t attribute too much of what has ocurred in the aftermath of that performance to Marquez alone or that specific game, but it clearly appears to have been a turning point.
“That was special,” says catcher Tony Wolters. “He is such a competitor. He is so free and easy up there. He makes it look really easy and that was awesome. He is always so locked and he doesn’t let the little things that don’t go his way distract him from what he’s trying to do. He was unbeatable that day.”
“That was great,” added Kyle Freeland, who knows a thing or two about flirting with a no-hitter. “To be able to witness a complete game from one of your teammates, that’s special stuff. And then Senzatela went out and then Gray and both did a great job is made me feel like ‘OK it’s my turn.’ We compete with and feed off of each other just like we have the last two years. We all make each other better.”
It was a moment that reminded the Rockies who they are.
He took that no-no really deep and turned it around for us,” says Wolters.
Upon returning home, Wolters was witnessing a string of excellent starts and found himself and the rest of the offense determined to back them up.
“We are very confident in those guys and they are very confident in us. We haven’t gotten going at the same time yet. We are just trying to get those guys runs when they pitch well and we feel like we’re working toward that.”
Since that statement, the offense has picked things up considerably.
But some of the starting pitching has faltered, especially during a brief injury for Freeland. There has been a bit of good news on that front, however, as Antonio Senzatela has reemerged as a guy the club can count on for a solid outing nearly every time out.
“We know exactly what he can do and for him to step up like that,” says Freeland, “Our starting pitching was struggling but we got a couple good starts under our belt and then he comes out against the Padres, who is no team to turn your nose at, he did a great job to come in and get us a big win and he’s been consistent since.”
Despite some poor performances that necessitated a demotion for Tyler Anderson and even a few shaky outings for Jon Gray, the Rockies have not lost a series since that Marquez brush with destiny.
Since that day, they have not lost a series and Marquez once again found himself on the verge of making history, working five perfect innings in Milwaukee against the Brewers.
He has taken the mantle as a tone-setter for the team and is quickly becoming one of the most feared pitchers in the National League.
