Colorado Rockies small-ball Chicago Cubs to death, 6-1

Game Rundown

In the second inning, the Rockies got a run when Nolan Arenado reached on a fielding error by Hendricks, which was followed up by singles from Ryan Raburn and Ben Paulsen.

The Rox clung to that one-run lead until the sixth when a line-drive single from Carlos Gonzalez was followed up by — and I swear I’m not making this up — a Nolan Arenado bunt single. Gerardo Parra followed with a ground-ball single up the middle, scoring CarGo, before Raburn hit into a double play that still scored Arenado.

Then, in the seventh, catcher Tony Wolters reached on a bloop single — which is kinda his thing now — and scored all the way from first when Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant airmailed a throw on a bunt from Brandon Barnes. The Cubs came into the game with a Major-League-low two errors and committed four in the game, including two from Bryant.

So, without the benefit of an extra base hit, of even anyone other than CarGo hitting the ball particularly hard, the Rockies lead 4-0.

Chad Bettis was brilliant in his third start of 2016, going six innings, and limiting the Cubs potent offense to only three hits and zero runs. He walked three and struck out four. The only thing more one could ask from Bettis would be to get a little more length, he threw 98 pitches in six innings. But ultimately, against an incredibly talented offense, Bettis had his best game against the season and probably the best pitching performance for his team thus far in 2016.

Chad Qualls gave up a run on a hit and a walk in the seventh but could have escaped any trouble had he covered first on a potential double-play ball. His pitches were incredibly sharp today though and he, too, looked his best so far.
In the top of eighth, the Cubs committed another error and saw some shady defense from Anthony Rizzo on a play that was initially ruled an error but rescinded. The run probably would have scored anyway, and Wolters earned the fielder’s choice and RBI, which brings us to the point that despite the fact that the Cubs were not sharp, the Rockies did an excellent job of forcing the defensive miscues. Far too often in their history, the Rockies have gone quietly without a fight against good teams on the road, and they did the exact opposite Friday afternoon — scratching and clawing in every at-bat all day.

The Rockies got another run in the frame on a DJ LeMahieu fielder’s choice and the Rockies were officially small-balling the Cubs to death. The Rockies led 6-1 having scored only two of those runs on hits.

What’s Next

The Rockies face the Cubs again in a day-game, this time in the morning, 11:30 MST. Christian Bergman makes a spot start against 2015 Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta.