DENVER – It didn’t take as long as a game of Clue but the Colorado Rockies contest against the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t end until 1:12. After a two hour and 41-minute rain delay, first pitch was finally thrown at 9:21 PM. After the Rockies jumped out to an early lead on a Carlos Gonzalez home run the Blue Jays came back and won 14-9.
Rain overshadowed what was Troy Tulowitzki‘s second game back in Denver since being traded to our neighbours up north. A bright spot on the night was a fellow teammate of Tulowitzki’s, Gonzalez, who drove in five runs in a four-for-five performance. But Gonzalez wasn’t as bright as Tulo and his birds as they bashed six in the fourth, highlighted by the shortstops’ 454 foot homer.
“I think it is just part of the game as professional,” Gonzalez told of the odd game. “You got to stay focused and keep your mind in the game no matter how long it is going to take (the delay), I think we did a good job with that. Just jumping early and getting some runs, but a tough loss. They have a really good offensive team too, we battled, but just a tough loss.”
The Blue Jays offense which was one of the best last season has finally started to heat up. The Rockies cooked under the pressure, giving up big nights to Deon Travis, Kevin Pillar and Josh Donaldson.
“They’re as good as advertised,” Manger Walt Weiss described. “It’s a potent lineup, and once they get rolling you can see what happens.”
It wasn’t just Toronto offense though, Eddie Butler‘s evening was cloudy as he struggled to get into the fourth inning. He ended up being taxed for five earned. Meanwhile, Yohan Flande was no better in long relief, giving the home nine only two-and-two-thirds inning. The left-hander was charged with five earned off of seven hits and was completely ineffective.
“His pitch count got pretty elevated,” Weiss said about managing his pitchers. “At that point I had to goto Flande, he’s a groundball guy, I tried to get a double play and get out of the inning. Thought the ball was getting up with Eddie. Once I went with Flande, I thought I’d stay with him or we would have a terrible bullpen again.”
J.A. Happ came away with the win despite a rough five innings pitched, nine hits allowed, five earned run line. He and the Jays’ rooters learned on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning that pitching at Coors Field is all about keeping your team in the game, something that Butler and Flande were unable to do.
If the Rockies would’ve rallied back, which they almost did, it would’ve given the club an opportunity to end this homestand at the .500 mark tomorrow.
“It is one of our goals (to play .500 ball) but the biggest goal is to play over .500,” Gonzalez said. “But we are still close, we are still in the mix. Just some tough losses but we have to put that in the past.”
NOTES:
Trevor Story started tonight after sitting out Monday with an injury, DJ LeMahieu came into the game late as defensive replacement, he had also missed Monday’s game with an injury.
Story also left the game early because his finger, which had been hit by a pitch on Sunday got jammed.
Raburn was scratched form the lineup because of a stomach bug but ended up playing.
Things got strange late as Tony Wolters played shortstop, Mark Reynolds played second base and Ryan Raburn moved to first.
HIGHLIGHTS:
He nailed that one: pic.twitter.com/tP0dhgInBE
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) June 29, 2016
#Tulo has done this here a few times. https://t.co/D30XSy73iI #OurMoment @budcanada pic.twitter.com/mwfEj9r2nO
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 29, 2016
.@BringerOfRain20! Give us three! #OurMomenthttps://t.co/VKUR3MpwSP
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 29, 2016
PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Carlos Gonzalez
CarGo went 4-5 with a three-run homer and five RBI total.
“CarGo is rolling,” Weiss said. “When he does it is fun to watch, he is on one of those rolls for sure right now.”
BY THE NUMBERS:
1 – It was the Blue Jays’ first win ever at Coors Field.
11 – Nolan Arenado has an 11 game hit streak.
32 – Hits, 32! 32 hits combined! WOW!
1,000 – CarGo tallied his 1,000th career hit with the Colorado Rockies.
WHAT’S AHEAD:
The Rockies face the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of their three-game set on Wednesday. Tyler Anderson will take the hill for Colorado as he’ll face Aaron Sanchez, first pitch is at 1:10.
